


A Night of Ecstasy (2009)

by JennyB



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Angst, Bathroom Sex, Developing Relationship, Drunken Confessions, Drunken Flirting, First Time, Future Fic, M/M, Misunderstandings, Rimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-07-31
Updated: 2009-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-13 04:37:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2137239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JennyB/pseuds/JennyB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It only takes one night to change your life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Seto let out a pained groan as he slowly came awake. The sun was streaming in through the large window, and after cracking one eye open, he promptly closed it again as the pounding in his skull seemed to multiply tenfold with the effort. Exhaling heavily, he rubbed at his temples with his right hand, and then moved to do the same to his eyes, only to have them fly open when he felt something cool against his cheek. ' _What the hell?_ ' he thought as he looked at the simple band of hematite on his ring finger, his curiosity causing him to momentarily forget about the throbbing in his head. After a few seconds, he became aware of the stuccoed ceiling, and of the unassuming, commonplace beige paint covering the walls, and his brow furrowed. ' _Where the hell am I?_ ' Taking note of the non-descript furniture and the generic paintings that were framed and screwed down to the wall, he figured out quickly enough that he was in a hotel room. After a few minutes, the fog in his head slowly started to lift as memories from the previous night began coming back to him, sort of like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle being snapped into place. He was starting to see the bigger picture, but there wasn't enough yet to make him feel comfortable about his current situation.

Groaning again, he decided to see if he could get some aspirin, or at the very least, a glass of water. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed to sit up, he was stopped by a 'chink' of metal and a jerk to his left wrist, followed by a sleepy - and very obviously _male_ \- grunt from beside him. Sapphire eyes widened, and grabbing the edge of the blanket, he pulled it off the sleeping form and found himself staring into the face of a completely naked - "Jounouchi!"

Heavy, amber eyes blinked open, and the blond smiled up at the other. "Hey, you," he greeted softly, and he reached out a hand to caress over his arm, only to start in surprise and curse roughly when he suddenly found himself hitting the floor hard. A moment later, the brunet landed heavily on his gut to knock the wind out of him. Apparently, the need to shove the fair-haired male away from him had overridden the logic that should have reminded him that they were handcuffed together. So when Jounouchi disappeared over the edge of the bed, he wound up pulling Seto down on top of him, and both of them were now bare-assed and sprawled awkwardly on the carpet.

Seto's fury was growing by the minute. With a growl, he grabbed the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around him as best he could with one hand. His head was now screaming and his ribs were protesting, but he ignored both of those in light of his more pressing concern. Narrowing his eyes, he jerked their conjoined hands up, holding them just above the blond's chest so the other could see the source of his ire. "The key," he hissed.

"Christ, you're a grump in the morning!" Jounouchi groused as he tried to push the other off of him with one hand. "Did you accidentally turn on the asshole switch while you were sleeping?"

" _WHERE'S THE FUCKING KEY_?!" He was now panicking at the idea of having to _call_ someone to free them, and his voice falling dangerously low, he growled, "If I have to, I'll break your wrist to slip it off."

The blond's eyes widened, and from the set of the other's jaw, he knew the brunet wasn't screwing around. "I don't know!" he said, finally managing to sit up and half-heartedly dump the other off his lap. "Check your coat pocket. That's where you pulled the cuffs from last - _hey_!!" Jounouchi had no choice but to stumble along after the dark-haired male when Seto got to his feet and began scanning the room for the garment. While the brunet frantically searched the pockets, all the while trying to keep the sheets around his body, Jounouchi frowned a little. "Why are you in such a bitch this morning anyway?"

Seto let out a triumphant sound when he found the small key, and he quickly freed himself from the handcuffs, leaving the blond to fend for himself. Ignoring the other's question, he instead asked one of his own. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded as he started to gather up his clothing that was tossed haphazardly everywhere.

"Prick," Jounouchi muttered under his breath as he freed his own wrist, and then rubbed gingerly at the bruised joint. He gasped softly at the question, and his face fell a little. "You don't remember?" he asked, genuine concern flitting across his features as he reached out a hand to touch the other, only to scowl when it was again slapped away. "Fuck, cut it out!"

A flicker of fear flashed across the sapphire eyes, and pausing in what he was doing, he said, "I...remember pieces of it. It's starting to come back, but-" He was cut off when his cell phone started to ring, and fishing it out of his other pocket, he answered it.

"Nii-sama? Where are you?" Mokuba's voice asked with a bit of concern. "Are you still in Tokyo?"

"I'm-" Seto paused for a moment. He still had no clue as to where he was exactly. "Where are you?" he countered.

"I'm at home! I caught a flight from Kyoto this morning when I saw the news."

The brunet paled a little at that. "The news?"

"Seto, are you all right? You sound like you're a million miles away," the younger Kaiba said. "Look, just...get home, ok?" Suddenly, he chuckled. "And I guess congratulations. It's about time. See you soon."

The brunet stared at his phone for a moment, and then his gaze shifted to Jounouchi. "Remote," he snapped. "Give me the television remote."

The blond grabbed it off the nightstand and tossed it to the other. "Everything all right?" he asked, as he watched the taller male anxiously fumble with the buttons and flip it to the news channel.

"I don't know. Mokuba said-" His jaw dropped when the news showed a photo of him and Jounouchi, standing hand in hand. Turning up the volume so that he could hear the story, he gripped the remote tighter as he listened to the reporter speak.

"...seems that young billionaire Kaiba Seto is officially off the market. Rumours of his impending engagement to young actress Takinawa Usagi were dismissed by the popular CEO himself as he came out of Tokyo's 'Love Shack' late last night with an attractive blond man on his arm. As this amateur video shows, Kaiba-san told the gathered crowd that while same-sex marriage isn't yet legal in Japan, he and the young man, Jounouchi Katsuya, had just participated in a private commitment ceremony to pledge their hearts to one another, and with a kiss worthy of the silver screen, he introduced him as his 'secret lover and soon to be life partner'."

Seto sat down heavily on the edge of the bed, his attention focused solely on the television. As the report went on and he watched the corroborating video, he felt as though a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him, lifting the fog in his brain. With almost painful clarity, he remembered everything he had done last night, up to and including having sex with Jounouchi in a Tokyo hotel room until they'd both passed out, completely exhausted and handcuffed together. His focus snapped over to the blond, and when the other gave him a sheepish smile and a small wave, his eyes narrowed a little and he sneered. Turning back to the television and seeing 'breaking news' of several women dressed in black mourning outfits and crying on the sidewalk in front of the KaibaCorp buildings, the brunet lost it. Getting to his feet and not caring that he'd lost his protective blanket, he let out an enraged snarl and hurled the remote control at the screen, both devices shattering in a spectacular shower of broken glass and sparks.


	2. Chapter 2

Seto gave himself one final, appraising look in the foyer mirror. Dressed in black PVC pants and three-quarter length jacket with heavy black boots, he was ready for a night out. It had been a while since he'd actually gone to the clubs, and he'd heard a lot of good things about a couple of new ones that had opened recently. His girlfriend hadn't liked having other women staring at him, and after she had caused a scene one too many times, the brunet had agreed that he wouldn't go anymore. His eyes narrowed a little as he thought about that, and how much of himself he had put aside for her, simply because he had believed she could make him happy. In hindsight, he had been miserable, and as his hands clenched into fists at his sides, he thought about the last time they had spoken. ' _Never again,_ ' he vowed silently as he grabbed his keys and left.

He made the drive from Domino to Tokyo in about an hour, and as the Persian blue Lotus Exige S 260 pulled up in front of Adamantium and the valet came to park his car, he could already hear the heavy industrial rhythm from inside. Ignoring the queue, he made his way to the bouncer. He didn't even need to say his name before the large man was on his headset, informing the owner that he was there. An arrogant smirk slid into place when he was admitted without further question, and with a drawled, "Thanks," he passed the man ten thousand yen and slipped through the entryway.

The inside of the club itself was very large and open, like a warehouse. The whole space was lit with black lights with a scant few red bulbed pot lights to let people see where they were going. The walls and floor were done in a dark, shiny aubergine colour, and the small cocktail tables were built from glass block and metal. There was neon rope lighting running around the tabletops and down the chair legs, and the bar was the brightest part of the whole space, containing a soft purple fluorescent light which illuminated the working area so that the bartenders could see the bottles. The waitresses wore glow in the dark makeup and nail polish, while their wrists and necks were covered with thin glow stick bracelets and necklaces. Many of the patrons were also wearing glow sticks or carrying them in their hands; however, whereas the staff wore purple, white and electric blue, theirs were green, red, yellow and orange. The whole place seemed to pulse with energy, and as Seto looked around, drinking it all in, for the first time in a long time, he felt truly _alive_.

He decided to hit the bar first. As he made his way through the crowded space, he brushed lightly against a young woman with long, platinum blonde pigtails. She turned to face him, and her smile widened as she looked him over. "Hi, handsome," she purred as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaning up on the tips of her toes, she pressed a long, lingering kiss to his lips, nipping his lower one before pulling back. "Have fun tonight, and I hope to see you around," she said with a giggle, seeming to ignore the scowl on his face.

Seto's lips tingled as he licked them and made a face, wiping away the copious amount of cola-scented lip gloss she'd left in her wake. "Not likely," he drawled, and being more careful about his body positioning, he eventually reached the bar. When he got there, the girl was forgotten, and he gave the bartender a nod.

"Hey," the man said. "Don't think I've seen you here before. I'd have remembered a good looking thing like you."

The brunet snorted in amusement. "I've been out of the scene for a while."

"I hear ya. Listen, I get a break in about thirty. Want to come back and we can talk some? Or if you're not the chatty type, I'm sure we can occupy our time, ne?" He lightly ran his tongue over his upper teeth, and gave the slender male a wicked smile.

"Flattered, but I'm not into guys," Seto replied.

The bartender chuckled. "Hn...have you ever _been_ with a guy?" When he received an annoyed look in return, he laughed harder. "Then how do you know you're not into them? Maybe you've just not found the right one yet." Seeing the other roll his eyes, he sobered some and sighed heavily. "Well, at least let me get your drink. What are you having?"

"Vodka and soda with a lime twist."

"Sure thing." The bartender disappeared to go get his drink, returning a few minutes later with his order. "On the house," he said with a rakish grin. "Hope to see you around."

Seto snorted, but raised his glass in a half-salute of thanks as he took a sip. He moved to the far end of the bar to avoid having to engage the other in further conversation, and he people-watched as he drank. By the time he had finished, he was feeling pretty good, and as the first heavy techno beats of Informatik's ' _Flesh Menagerie_ ' started playing, he was on the dance floor. The brunet was an excellent dancer, his moves lithe and visceral. He was truly a sight to behold in his form-fitting PVC outfit, which merely enhanced the fluid grace of his body. It wasn't long before he had drawn a fair-sized crowd of people to him, and every so often, someone would move in closer to dance alongside him. Seto would give them a dark smile, slipping in behind them for a few seconds and lingering long enough to give a sultry caress of fingertips across bare skin or to provide a ghostly brush of his body against theirs before moving away.

When the song was nearly over, he turned to face his newest tease, only to arch a brow and smirk when he found himself looking into molten amber eyes and flaxen tresses. Not saying a word, he slipped an arm around Jounouchi's waist, letting his hand skim over the butter-soft chocolate coloured leather of his pants to pull the other close to him as he slowly swung his hips. His smirk widened as he watched the blond's eyes lid slightly, and he took great delight in teasing the other until the song ended. Releasing him with a touch to the side of his cream-coloured sand washed silk polo shirt, he moved away as a new song started. For a moment, he danced with some girl, though the dark sapphire remained locked on the other male, his smile sensual yet bordering on taunting.

Jounouchi's brow furrowed a little in confusion, but the longer he held that intense gaze, the more his stomach flipped in a _very_ pleasant way. With a smile of his own, he took a step toward him, only to start in surprise when he felt a pair of lips being crushed to his own, and a tongue being thrust rather insistently into his mouth. When he finally managed to straighten and push the other away from him, he saw a raven-haired Goth girl grinning at him as she twirled a lock of hair around her index finger. "What the fuck was that for?" he demanded, only to make a face a moment later when he realized she had given him her gum - and from the bitterness of it, nicotine gum at that.

"I just wanted to share with you, Cutie Pie!"

"Gross!" Spitting it into his hand, he gave it back to her and growled, "Next time find a fucking garbage can!" After nudging her out of the way, he looked for the tall brunet, but in the chaos, he had lost him. "Damn it!" He turned to head further onto the dance floor, only to stop when he found himself face-to-face with Kaiba Seto once more. Obviously, the striking male had decided to seek _him_ out - a thought that sent another thrill through him. "Hi," he said shyly, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager again in the other's presence.

"Hi," Seto replied, and leaning in closer so that he wouldn't have to shout over the heavy thump of the bass, he said, "Dance with me again. You're good. Unless you want to go back to Lenore over there." Another teasing smirk slid into place.

The blond gave an exaggerated shudder at that, and then moved a half-step closer. "Nah, I'm all yours, Kaiba."

"That so?" The brunet's smirk widened, and he again slipped his arms around Jounouchi's waist, pulling him to him. "What the hell are you doing in Tokyo?" he asked after a couple of minutes.

Jounouchi shivered as the other's breath washed across his neck. He didn't know what the dark-haired male was up to, but at the moment, he didn't care. Right now, Kaiba's attention was on him, and even if it all turned out to be some big joke afterwards, he could live with that. Hesitantly, he let his arms go around the taller man in turn, his hands coming to rest at the small of his back. Slowly, he let his breath out, and then glanced upward. The brunet didn't seem to mind the contact, and relaxing a little, he smiled. "I've been working here and going to the university. I thought one last night out before I have to head back to Domino would be fun."

"Graduate school?" Seto's brow furrowed a little when he saw the other shake his head. "We've been out of high school for six years. Why are you still in university?"

The blond smiled somewhat sheepishly. "Well, the first year, I took off to work full time to get money for tuition, then I did two part-time years while working full time, and the last three, I've been going full time, and working nearly-full time. But, I've finally finished my Bachelor's in Culinary Arts. And the really cool thing is that in September, I've got a full scholarship to Le Cordon Bleu." He shrugged a little. "I've always liked to eat, and I'm a pretty good cook, so for me to train to be a chef, and then own my own restaurant someday, it seemed a natural fit, you know?"

Seto nodded. "I could see you doing that." He grinned a bit. "Will you cook for me sometime?"

Jounouchi's smile widened. "You'd want me to? Hell, yeah, I will! And when me and Kuro - he's my partner - when we get our own place, you'll always have a table!"

"Your partner?" Seto's hold tightened on the other. "Oh. I didn't realize you were here with someone. If he's like Usagi, he's probably pissed at me for stealing you."

"What?" The blond looked confused for a moment, and then it clicked. "Oh!" Chuckling softly he said, "No, he's my business partner. Well, not yet, but he was my friend from university. When I'm finished my training, we're going to open a restaurant together." He pressed his lips together for a moment, and then said, "You're talking about Takinawa Usagi, ne? I've...seen photos of the two of you."

Seto snorted in amusement. "Well, don't expect to see any more of us. At least, not of us together. We're...no longer a couple." He could see the curiosity in the other's expression, and saving the blond the embarrassment of having to ask, he said matter-of-factly, "She decided that eighteen months with me was enough; that I - how did she put it? Right...that I 'wasn't adequately meeting her needs', and then she informed me last Friday that for the past six, she's been fucking the starting pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants."

"Ouch. Shit, Kaib', I'm sorry."

He gave a blasé shrug at that. "Don't be. Honestly, I really don't care that she's gone. I realize now that she was...stifling. And _incredibly_ high maintenance. Besides, now that I think about it, we got together just as Mokuba was going into his final semester of high school. I'd say I was more in love with the idea of having someone around than I was in love with her." A wicked smirk crept across his face. "She might have been pretty, but she really wasn't very good. In _so many_ ways."

Jounouchi's eyes widened a little. "But still, _one week_? Geez, Kaib, you're taking it pretty good."

The taller male shrugged again. "It's weird. Initially, I was furious. Today, it just doesn't seem to be bothering me as much. Maybe it's the company I'm keeping." He grinned when he saw the way the other's cheeks flushed, and he leaned in close to once again speak in Jounouchi's ear. Just then, the song ended, and not wanting to stop their conversation, he grabbed the blond's sleeve and pulled him over to a vacant table. It was considerably quieter there, and while they couldn't talk in their normal voices, they didn't have to shout to be heard, either. After flagging down a waitress with ten thousand yen and ordering another vodka and soda with lime for himself and a bottle of Kirin for the other, he folded his arms loosely on the tabletop. "So, what about you? Are you with someone?"

Jounouchi pinked a little at the unexpected question. "Me? Oh, uh...no. No, not seeing anyone. I'm currently single. Have been for a while. I uh...just can't seem to find the right person for me."

"I see." Seto paused for a moment while the waitress delivered their drinks, and he waved off his change. "So indulge me. What sort of person is 'the right person' for you, Jounouchi?"

The blush deepened, and the blond shrugged. "I don't know."

The dark-haired man snickered into his glass. "Liar." After taking a sip, he smirked and said, "Yes, you do. Otherwise you wouldn't be so certain that you hadn't yet found them."

Jounouchi took a long drink from his bottle while he contemplated his answer. ' _Fuck it. Why the hell not?_ ' he thought to himself. Setting it back on the table, he slowly licked his bottom lip and said, "Well, they've got to be interesting to talk to. A good listener. Smart. Fun to be with. Able to take care of themselves - not that I don't mind treating and stuff, but I don't want a sponge. It's supposed to be a joint venture, you know?" He took another sip of beer, and added, "They don't have to like everything I do, but they have to at least understand my interests." He grinned a moment later. "Being good looking, able to dance, and able to make me laugh doesn't hurt, either."

Seto propped an elbow up on the table and rested his cheek against his fist while the other spoke, a benign smile on his face as he listened. "Hn."

"What?" That sound had always made Jounouchi a little nervous. It meant that the other was thinking.

The smile widened and turned a little bit impish. "Sounds a lot like me."

Jounouchi smirked. "You think a hell of a lot of yourself, don't you?" he replied, his eyes lidding slightly.

"Mm hmm, I do. Though, it's usually well deserved." He dropped his forearm back to the tabletop and leaned forward a little, reaching out just enough to let his fingertips brush against the soft skin at the other's wrist. For a moment, he simply marvelled at the feel of it, and he found himself wondering if the blond's entire body was just as supple. "But it doesn't really matter what I think. What do _you_ think?"

Jounouchi actually let out a soft groan at the touch, his entire arm breaking out in gooseflesh as a shiver ran through him. Giving the brunet a small smile, he said, "Yeah, Kaib', I think it does, too."

"Hn."

"What?" He felt a small rush that was half excitement/half fear run through him when he saw the dark grin.

"I was just thinking." He finished off his drink and shifted his chair closer to the other. "It seems stupid for you to try to find someone like me. Especially since no matter who you choose, they're never going to be me."

Jounouchi laughed. "Yeah, well, my old man had a saying. 'Wish in one hand, shit in the other, and see which fills up first'. I was sixteen when we met, so that makes it...eight years now. Come on, Kaib'," he said with a grin. "No way you're giving up champagne for beer." With that, he picked up his bottle and took another swallow, feeling his body heat a little at the closer proximity of the brunet.

"I've never had an aversion to beer," Seto replied softly as he took the blond's drink from him and finished off the last mouthful. "Well, certain brands, anyway. I guess I've just never been very good about making that fact known. Want another?"

"Fuck yes," Jounouchi replied, his head swimming dizzyingly from all the thoughts he was trying to process. It had to be a dream. Some crazy, albeit pleasant, surreal dream.

"'kay." He slipped off his stool, letting his hand graze lightly over the small of the blond's back as he passed. "Hold our table. I'll be right back. The bar doesn't look too busy, and the waitresses are...somewhere." He waved a hand dismissively, and then slipped into the crowd. When he got to the bar, he deliberately avoided the bartender from earlier, and went instead to a woman with a high, dark ponytail and crimson lips. He leaned against the polished stainless steel surface after placing his order, his fingertips slowly, almost reverently, caressing the cool metal, and the tip of his tongue rested lightly against his upper teeth as he watched the way the shadows and light moved over his reflection.

"I thought you told me you weren't gay," the male bartender said with a smirk as he came up in front of the brunet, and again eyed him appraisingly.

"I'm not."

"Could've fooled me. You look pretty cozy with that blond over there."

Seto shrugged and smirked. "Frankly, I don't give a damn how you think it looks. But between you and me? Even if I _were_ gay, you wouldn't be my type. I'm not really into 'desperate'." Chuckling softly, he patted the man on the cheek, and then turned to pay the woman, again leaving a sizeable tip as he picked up the glass and bottle. "Later," he said to the male, and he returned to his table, setting Jounouchi's drink down in front of him before taking his own seat - but not before shifting a little bit closer yet again. "Cheers," he toasted, and then took a sip. "So, where were we?" His eyes darted around randomly as he tried to recollect, and then he smiled. "Oh right. Us."

"Us, right," the blond echoed with a snicker, even as a flutter of excitement rippled through him at the thought. "I think you've had too much to drink, Kaib'."

The brunet rolled his eyes. "Give me some credit, ne? This is only my third drink tonight, and I've barely started on it. Besides, I'm still fully capable of integrating functions, or writing code, or doing any of a million other things one needs to be lucid for." He gave the other a very suggestive grin.

Jounouchi couldn't help but laugh. "You're thinking about _math_? Hell of a come on, really."

"Oh, well if it's working..." Trailing off and making his voice deliberately sultry, he murmured, "The square of the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle equals the sum of the squares on the other two sides." He chuckled when his comment earned a snicker from the blond. "All right, I promise, no more math. But seriously, Jounouchi, why not us? I think we'd be good together." He slid his hand along the tabletop once more to again just _barely_ brush against the other's forearm. "You like me, I like you, and we know each other's personalities pretty well to know what we're getting into."

Jounouchi grabbed his beer and drank about half of it in one go, trying to ignore the way his skin felt like it was on fire. "I thought you weren't gay, Kaib'," the blond said matter-of-factly.

Sapphire met amber, and the brunet's eyes sparkled impishly. "I'm not. Though, neither are you. If I remember right, you dated...Rin for a while in senior year, and then there was that whole thing with you and Mai."

"You _knew_ about that?" the blond asked incredulously, and seeing the smug smirk, he laughed. " _How_ the fuck did you know about that?"

Seto shrugged. "When you're interested in something, you make an effort to find out what you can about it."

Jounouchi chuckled. "You're fucking with me. You're not really serious about you and me."

"But I am." He fixed the other with an uncharacteristically expressive gaze, and then brought a hand up to brush a thumb along the blond's cheek, just under his eye. Slowly, he let his fingers sift through the flaxen tresses behind his ear, eventually tangling in them as he leaned forward, hesitating for a fraction of a second before pressing his lips to Jounouchi's. To him, they felt petal-soft, and for several moments, he just lingered there. Finally, he decided he wanted more, and tightening his hold just a little, he eased away just enough to part his lips and gently nip the blond's lower one. He smiled briefly when he heard the soft gasp, and taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him, he deepened the kiss. Languidly, he swept his tongue over the shorter man's, tasting the tart crispness of the beer mixed with the blond's natural sweetness. His heart seemed to beat faster in his chest with that, and he took the time to memorize every surface before he finally sat back in his own chair, letting the silky tresses slip from his fingers and slowly licking his lower lip.

Jounouchi's breath caught in his throat at that look, and he lost himself in the unguarded sapphire. His eyes lidded slightly at the gentle hand, though they widened when he felt warm breath and soft lips against his own. It was all he could do not to moan when that skilled tongue slipped inside his mouth, leaving him feeling as though he was floating as the brunet kissed him. In his wildest fantasies, he'd always believed Kaiba would be good, but even his dreams paled in comparison to the taste, touch and scent of the real thing. When it was over, he had no words. He simply stared at the other man, his lips slightly parted as he panted softly.

"Do you still think I'm not serious?" Seto asked as he peered solemnly at the other from over the rim of his glass, dropping his gaze only long enough to take a deep drink. He rested his tongue against his upper canine as he idly rubbed his thumb over the condensation that had collected on his fingertips, and then glanced up at the other, arching a brow in askance.

"I-" Jounouchi lightly touched his lips, still able to feel the warm pressure of the kiss, and after chewing on his thumbnail for a moment, he reached for his beer and nodded, not yet trusting his voice. After finishing the bottle and setting it down, he smiled softly. "Yeah, Kaib'," he said, his pulse quickening as he dared to believe this was all real. "I believe you."

"Mm, good." Smiling, he tossed back the rest of his drink, and then grabbing the other's hand to pull him back to the dance floor, he said wolfishly, "Then you won't mind if I do it again." Not giving the blond a chance to resist, he caressed over his cheek again, and then around his neck to cup the back of his head. As he pulled him closer with his other hand and leaned in for another deep kiss, he whispered against his lips, "Kiss me back. Please." He let out a soft, pleasured murmur when he felt Jounouchi's arms go around his waist, and he growled low in his throat as the other responded.

Jounouchi felt dizzy as his tongue twined with the brunet's, and he became hyper-aware of the lean, lithe body pressed tightly to his own. The embrace became hungrier and needier, and as they finally broke for air, he found that he was achingly hard and wanting more. Chuckling a little, he rested his head against the brunet's chest, one hand skimming up his torso to tease a peaked nipple through the Lycra of Kaiba's shirt. "Better not do that again," he said huskily, even as he nuzzled along the other's jaw.

"Why not?" Seto asked. "Did you not like it?"

On seeing the earnest sincerity in the sapphire eyes at the question, Jounouchi couldn't help but laugh. "Fuck, Kaiba, it goes beyond 'like'. It's just..." He shrugged and grinned impishly. "Do it again, and I'm going to have to go home and change, you know?" To emphasize his point, he arched his hips forward just enough to brush his groin against the brunet's - only to gasp and bite back a groan when he felt a similar bulge. "Oh God!"

Seto smirked, and gave him another quick, hard kiss. "You're absolutely right. It _does_ go beyond 'like'. And there's no way I'm letting you out of my sight. But if you're willing, we can take care of this." When he saw the amber eyes fall closed and the quick, jerky nod that followed, the smirk widened, and he pulled the blond across the dance floor to the bathroom. After kicking open the stall door, he yanked the other inside, and as soon as the latch was fastened, he had his lips on Jounouchi's throat, one hand pushing up his shirt while the other fumbled with the button fly of his trousers.

"Ah!" The back of Jounouchi's head hit the metal door with a thunk as he tipped it back, his own hands skating over the musculature of the brunet's chest and stomach, and when he reached his waist, he licked his lips as he worked open his belt. "Want you so fucking badly."

"Ever done this before? With another guy, I mean?" he purred lowly in the blond's ear before thoroughly tonguing the shell and suckling on the lobe. His teeth grazed over the soft skin as he pushed his pants down over his ass, one hand giving a sensual squeeze before sliding around to the front to tease over his cock.

Jounouchi moaned lowly and swallowed thickly, his task momentarily forgotten as he focused on the waves of pleasure radiating through him. "Ye-es," he replied, his breath catching at the touch. "Just a c-couple of times, though."

Seto nodded and pushed the other's pants down to his knees, then turned him to face the door. "I haven't. Spread," he murmured as he nudged the blond's feet further apart with the toe of his boot. Once Jounouchi was spread-eagle up against the wall, he knelt down on one knee, his hands briefly caressing his cheeks before kneading them apart. He closed his eyes for a moment as if to get his rapid breathing under control, and then he leaned in, first rimming the tight pucker with his tongue, then pressing it inside.

"Ah, _fuck_!" the blond swore, bracing himself with his one forearm, his other hand wrapping around his shaft and squeezing to stave off his orgasm. A faint sheen of sweat broke out over his whole body, his knees buckling slightly as the brunet continued to tongue-fuck him. When Kaiba stopped, he rested his forehead against the cool metal, his breaths coming in harsh, ragged pants, and when he heard the soft sound of a zipper, he turned slightly, wanting to see the other's cock. He groaned lowly at the sight of the long, thick, perfect length, and licking his lips slowly, he once again faced the door as he arched his back a little to thrust his ass out further.

Seto lined himself up with the other's opening, and with a strangled hiss, he pushed himself into the exquisitely tight heat. "All right?" he whispered in the blond's ear once he was fully sheathed, and feeling another quick, stiff nod against his cheek, he nuzzled against Jounouchi's throat, plying the area with soft kisses, teasing nips, and soothing licks as he set up a hard, deep rhythm.

The initial discomfort the blond had felt vanished as the brunet began to thrust. Kaiba was _incredibly_ good at finding and hitting his most pleasurable spots, and it wasn't long before he was writhing slowly and mewling softly as he neared his peak. "Kaib'? I'm gonna _ah_! Gonna come!"

"Then do it," the slender brunet purred in his ear, his one hand moving from Jounouchi's waist to his cock, stroking counterpoint to his thrusts in a slow, languid rhythm. He groaned softly when he felt the other's body tighten further around him, and as the first pulse of Jounouchi's seed hit his palm, he cried out wordlessly, pulling the blond back against him as he thrust in hard and deep, his own release washing over the other's prostate as what felt like a million little lightning bolts exploded over his skin. His embrace turned almost protective as he held the other against him, and as he came down from his peak, his nerve endings still on fire, he kissed him desperately. "Be with me, Jounouchi," he whispered urgently against his mouth. "Promise me you will be. Forever. Promise me tonight. Please?"

Jounouchi leaned back against the other, his head swimming pleasurably, and a soft smile on his face. He felt his heart race at the murmured words, and he couldn't remember a time when he'd ever felt this content. This _right_. "I promise, Kaib'." He started a little when the brunet pulled quickly out of him, though his eyes lidded slightly when he was turned and kissed, the gesture no less passionate despite the underlying gentleness of it.

"Thank you," Seto whispered, his eyes falling closed for a moment, as if to hide the emotion reflected in the darkened sapphire. Eventually, he slipped out of the stall for some wet paper towels, and after they were cleaned up, they left the club together. On the street, he called for a taxi, and after they'd each chosen a ring from an all-night pawnbroker (with the understanding that they would get custom bands for their left hands at a later date), they were at the Love Shack, promising themselves to each other. While not a legally-binding marriage, it was the closest they could get. And both of them swore they would treat it as such - as per the terms of their commitment ceremony.

After a quick stop in the attached 'gift shop' to redeem their voucher for a pair of handcuffs, cinnamon scented lube, and a silk blindfold, they stepped back out into the world, partners in each other's eyes. While waiting for their taxi, Seto talked to a few passers-by who had recognized him, and once they'd reached their hotel, the brunet's only thoughts had been on his new lover. Upon entering the room, clothes had been hastily stripped off and tossed haphazardly. And as they'd taken to the bed, mouths locked together as hands eagerly explored, they'd lost themselves to their passion until the need for sleep had claimed them both.


	3. Chapter 3

"What?" The word was flat, incredulous as the brunet sat down at the desk chair, his cell phone pressed to his ear. "Say that again."

There was a soft, slightly uncomfortable laugh from the other end, and Saitoh Kenichi, his PR director, replied, "I _said_ that the news of your...uh, arrangement, has spread globally. So far, preliminary reports from New York show that there was a lot of trade activity on our stock late yesterday afternoon, their time, but there hasn't been enough time to see if there's been any real negative impact. We want to see how things go on the Tokyo Exchange on Monday, and also in New York again, and then we'll know the least damaging course of action to take with this. For now, play along with it. You don't want to walk away from this yet - the press will have a field day. You've read the tabloids - you know how they eat up celebrity indiscretions and eccentricities."

"It wasn't an indiscretion!" Seto shouted angrily into the phone, and when the blond looked up from the room service menu he was perusing, he scowled and turned his back to the other, repeating himself at a much lower volume. A warning growl escaped him when he heard Saitoh's questionable apology, and with a snapped, "Fine. I'll be back in Domino in a few hours," he ended the call, and then turned to the other. "Get your shit together. We're heading home."

Jounouchi arched a brow. "But I'm hungry!" he protested. "And they've got those awesome croissan'wiches here!"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear you say you liked those bastardized, heavy, _revolting_ things," the brunet retorted crossly. "And you can get something for in the car. I want to get the hell out of here as soon as possible." With that, he finished dressing in his clothes from the previous evening, still looking incredibly attractive despite having finger-combed his hair back and having missed his morning shower.

"You want me to come with you?" the smaller man asked, a flicker of hope in the amber eyes.

Seto snorted in frustration. "Yes. Until my people can figure out how to handle this..." He couldn't bring himself to say 'mistake'. "This _thing_ , we're going to leave things the way they are for now."

"Oh." The blond's shoulders slumped, and he sighed softly. "No," he said finally.

"No? What the hell do you mean 'no'?"

"I'm not going to pretend, Kaiba. If you don't really want me there, then I'm not going with you."

The brunet's expression morphed from irritated to furious. "The hell you're not!" he replied, his voice deadly calm. "I don't know what happened to me last night, or when I lost control, but _you_ didn't do much to stop me from making an ass out of myself, so _you're_ going to help me fix this!"

"Me? How the hell am I responsible for _you_?" Jounouchi demanded hotly as he got to his feet. "Jesus, Kaiba, I asked you if you'd had too much to drink, and you said no! I guess I'm just a gullible idiot for thinking that at twenty-four years old, you might have stopped being so uptight about everything, and maybe even be fucking serious about what you said. Or was I just a convenient rebound?" His cheeks heated a little at that, and he dropped his gaze, only to add a moment later, "Or worse, was it just a joke to you?" The anger was still in his voice, but there was also a note of hurt. When the other didn't answer him, he looked up. "Tell me, Kaiba! Look me in the eye and tell me you regret it, then! That you weren't serious about any of it!"

"I-" The words caught in Seto's throat. He could think them without any problem, but he couldn't say them aloud. Looking into the liquid amber, he felt a crushing pain in his chest, and it was all he could do to not wince from it. Absently, he ran his thumb along the band on his ring finger, as if checking to see that it was still there, and then he clenched his hands into fists. "I'm not playing some stupid game," he muttered gruffly as he dropped his gaze and moved away to go get his coat. "Believe whatever the hell you want to. Now let's go. I don't have all day."

Jounouchi simply stood there for a moment, not saying a word. Whether he'd meant to or not, the brunet had given him his answer. He could see fear and confusion in the sapphire depths, and finally, with a small nod, he moved to finish dressing. "All right, Kaib'. I'll go with you for now. But, I'm giving you two weeks to come clean. Then I'm gone."

He left it to Seto to determine just what he meant by that.

* * *

That morning felt like one of the longest Jounouchi had ever spent. The tall brunet had barely initiated any conversation between them since they'd left the hotel, save to bark the occasional command at him - though they had had a few arguments, if one could call them that. The first had been shortly after they'd gone back to the club to pick up Seto's car:

"Ne, Kaib'? We need to stop by my apartment before we go. I need to get some other clothes and a toothbrush at least. Actually, I need a few minutes - I have to be out before Monday, because I sublet for the summer, and I gotta make some arrangements."

"Idiot. This is a Lotus. In case you haven't noticed, there's no backseat and cargo space is at a premium. We don't have the room."

"Yeah, well, I'm not staying in this outfit for two weeks, Asshole! And I'm sure as shit not leaving my stuff behind so that it can get tossed out! I've worked my ass off too hard in the past few years to just abandon it. Just because you're on some imaginary schedule, it doesn't mean the rest of the world is, too. So unless you tell me we're going to take care of it now, I'm not going with you, and I'll see you in Domino on Monday."

"Will you shut up?" the brunet seethed, his sapphire eyes darting around anxiously, as though he was expecting to see some other jackass with a video camera or cell phone to catch his 'lover's spat' on film. When the blond simply gazed back at him obstinately, he pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation, his headache helpfully reminding him that it was still there. He took a deep breath, his entire body tense, and then he growled, "Fine. Whatever. We'll go, get a few of your things, and I'll arrange for my people to pack up the rest and bring it by on Sunday. All right?"

"That's fine with me," Jounouchi replied as he huffily dumped himself into the passenger seat, somewhat surprised that the other had ceded so readily. After doing up his seatbelt, the hardness fell from his expression and he murmured, "Thanks, Kaib'."

The brunet just snorted and pulled out onto the street, leaving a five metre streak of rubber in his wake.

The next had been just before they'd left the apartment:

"Ne, Kaib'? I'm hungry."

"Tough shit. We'll be in Domino in a little over an hour. I'm sure you'll survive."

"But you said at the hotel that I could get something for in the car! You fucking liar! It's not like I'm asking you to _buy_ it for me, but would it kill you to stop for five minutes?" Glowering as he threw his duffle into the miniscule trunk, he added, "I'll even eat over the bag, and put napkins on my lap so I don't dirty your _precious_ car!"

Seto scowled, his temper flaring as he slammed the trunk closed with a bit more force than was necessary. "If I feed you, will you shut up about all this inane bullshit so we can leave? We could have been in Domino by now!"

"Yeah, well-" The blond cut himself off when he saw the frustration in the other's eyes, and suddenly, he didn't feel like being _quite_ as argumentative. With a sigh, he shook his head. "No, you're right, Kaib'. I'm being a brat. It's cool; let's go."

The brunet gave him a strange look at that. "You're not going to wait until we're on the road before you start whining again?" he asked dubiously as he moved to get in the car.

"I won't. Not another word."

"Hn." As he slipped behind the wheel, Seto found he couldn't help but believe him.

The final had been in the car as they were on the outskirts of Domino:

"Ne, Kaiba? I've been thinking," Jounouchi began, turning from where he'd been staring out the window to look at the brunet.

"There's a first," came the snippy reply.

"Fuck you," the blond groused, and a moment later he said, "You know, if you're supposed to be convincing people that we're actually together, it might help if you'd, you know, maybe _not_ be a complete dickhead to me?" He smirked a bit. "I'm no _expert_ like all your _people_ , but it might be a bit more believable."

"Are you _trying_ to irritate me?"

"At this moment? No. But I'm serious, Kaib'. When we go out and stuff, you're going to have to act like you really want to be around me."

"Who says we're going out anywhere?" The Lotus picked up a bit of speed as Seto pushed the accelerator further to the floor.

The blond sighed. "Sorry, I guess I just thought..." He shook his head. "Never mind. I guess it was stupid of me to think we would. I forgot this is just pretend."

The brunet let out a low growl. "Stop saying that!" he snapped as his eyes momentarily shifted to the other to scowl at him, his hands tightening imperceptibly on the wheel. After a moment, he said coolly, "There's a KaibaCorp sponsored black tie event this upcoming Saturday evening. You can attend with me if you'd like."

"Ooh, well, when you put it that way, how could I possibly say no?" Jounouchi teased, only to fall silent again when he earned a death glare for his snark. "I'd like that, Kaib'," he said quietly. "And I promise not to do anything stupid or embarrass you."

"You'd better not. If you do, I'll have you killed."

It was hard for the blond to tell if the other was joking or serious. For the time being, he opted to go with the latter. "Why?" he asked after a moment.

"Why would I kill you?" A hint of a smirk briefly ghosted over the other's features.

"No!" Jounouchi frowned in exasperation for a moment. "I meant why don't you want me to say that about us?"

"It pisses me off."

"But why? It's true, isn't it?" he pressed, amber eyes wide and earnest.

"God damn it, just shut up, Jounouchi!" Sapphire eyes narrowed as Seto pushed the car to its limit.

* * *

Just before noon, they pulled into the driveway of the Kaiba manor. The remainder of the drive had passed in near-silence, and every time Seto had glanced over and seen the dejected blond staring forlornly out the window, he'd only gotten angrier. After shutting off the car, he popped the trunk and slid out from behind the wheel, slamming the door forcefully behind him. Not waiting for the other, he stormed off to the house, breezing past his brother as he wordlessly headed upstairs to shower, change, and take something for his headache.

Jounouchi jogged a couple of steps after him, but when the brunet showed no intention of slowing down, he sighed heavily and went to retrieve his luggage instead. As he made his way inside, he smiled a bit when he saw Mokuba. "Hey, Runt!" he said to the nineteen-year-old, and after dropping his duffle on the floor, he ruffled the other's hair as he used to. His smile widened a bit when Mokuba batted his hands away with a grin and smoothed down the raven tresses, and the blond couldn't help but notice how different the teen looked, and how much he had grown up. He was now taller than Jounouchi, but not quite as tall as his brother. And he was definitely broader in the chest and shoulders, built more solid and muscular like Honda as opposed to lithe and lanky like Seto. He'd cut his hair - it was now just past his shoulders, but still shaggy, the layers flipped out a little with styling wax to give him a quasi-Adam Lambert look.

"Runt?" Mokuba teased. "Bet I could kick your ass now," he said with a wink, his voice now a pleasant low alto. "It's good to see you again, Jou." He frowned a little as he turned to glance up at the second floor. "What's the matter with Seto?"

"Oh, uh..." The blond chuckled sheepishly and ran a hand through his bangs. "You know, he's got a bit of a headache, and that news story upset him, and he's pissed at his PR guy, and uh...he's mad at me. Actually, he's kind of mad at the whole world this morning."

Mokuba's frown deepened to a very Kaiba-esque scowl. "Hn." Storm grey eyes remained contemplative long after the teen had turned back to the other and smiled again. "It's been a while since you were here last."

"Yeah. Six years, and even at that, I've only ever been here a handful of times. I remember getting lost looking for the bathroom."

The young Kaiba snickered. "I remember that, too. You walked into a couple of closets and a spare bedroom."

"Laugh it up, Squirt. Didn't you ever learn anything about respecting your elders?" Jounouchi grinned, and then picked up his duffle bag. "Here, can you give me a tour and show me where I'll be staying and stuff?"

"Well, I'm sure you'll be staying with Seto, and-" Mokuba cut himself off when he saw the other's expression, and he arched a brow. "Jou?" When the blond didn't answer him, he sighed. "Oh, Jou, I'm so sorry." He was quiet until they reached the top of the stairs. "Well, for now, I'll put you in this guest room - Seto's room is across the hall," he said, nodding toward the closed door. After setting his friend's things inside, he asked quietly, "Why did you agree? It's not like you owe him."

Jounouchi gave an awkward shrug, and not meeting the other's eyes, he said lowly, "I just wanted to - even if he's being kind of a dick right now."

It didn't take a genius to interpret that, and Mokuba's gaze turned sympathetic, his heart breaking for his friend while his irritation toward his brother grew. "I see. Well, I'll let you get settled. You've got a bathroom attached if you want to shower, and there are towels and stuff in there. Just come down to the den when you're finished. Turn right at the bottom of the stairs, and it's the room with the double doors on the left." Closing the door behind him, he pressed his lips into a thin line and went to have a 'discussion' with his older brother.

Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and dressed in jeans and a baggy t-shirt, Jounouchi stepped out into the hall, his eyes widening when he heard muffled shouting from behind Seto's closed door. He worried his lip for a moment, not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to move - especially when he heard his name come up.

"I've always defended you, Seto. Insisted that you weren't the bastard that everyone accused you of being. But what you did to Jounouchi, that's just cruel! If you don't want to be with him, then _tell him_ and quit stringing him along! Or haven't you considered his feelings, and how this is going to be for him when that sleaze Saitoh tells you it's all right for you to be single again?"

"Mind your own business, Mokuba," the older Kaiba snarled. "It's none of your concern. And it's not some practical joke. It's...complicated."

"Then explain it to me, Seto. I'm not a child - you're not going to confuse me with the 'big boy' words!"

"Let it go, Mokuba," the brunet growled warningly.

"Or what? You'll have to acknowledge that you fucked up, Seto?" There was a pause. "What's wrong with you, anyway? This is more than just bad press. You're acting like a completely different person. How much did you drink last night anyway?"

"I wasn't drunk!" the elder brother shouted furiously. "I told _him_ that, and I'm telling you, I only had three! I didn't-" There was a moment's pause. " _God damn it_!" he exploded. "Where the hell's the phone?"

Jounouchi winced at the brunet's tone, and not wanting to get caught in the middle of an argument between the Kaiba brothers, he quickly stole down the stairs and made his way to the den, trying to look casual when Mokuba came in about thirty seconds later. "Uh, hey," he said. "You all right?"

Mokuba's expression was set in a scowl. "Yeah. I've just been talking to Seto. He's calling his doctor - he's all concerned that someone slipped him something while he was out last night and he wants to get tested." He shifted his eyes to the blond. "If there _was_ something going around there I told him he should maybe let you get tested, too. If you want to. It's a bit paranoid, but better safe than sorry, I guess."

The blond nodded. "Yeah, it might be a good idea. I-" He paused when he saw Seto standing in the doorway, and his mouth fell open. The brunet's normally pale skin was even more pallid, and his eyes were red rimmed and glassy with dark circles under them, his pallor making them appear that much more severe. "God, Kaib', are you all right?" he asked as he started to get up, his voice full of concern.

Sapphire eyes narrowed as he sneered, his expression looking that much colder given the fact that he'd been crying. With a contemptuous snort, he turned and crossed the hall to his office, the door slamming a moment later.

Jounouchi turned to Mokuba, who simply offered him a shrug and a small smile in return. "Not that I want him to have been drugged, but I hope that's what it is, Mokie," he said glumly. "I'd really hate to think he's like this all the time." He half-heartedly agreed to some program the teen put on the television, though he fell into silent brooding. As he replayed the events of the previous evening over and over in his mind, he fell into an ever deeper funk, and by the time the doctor arrived, he had managed to convince himself that he'd somehow fucked everything up.

* * *

Washida-sensei was an older man, but understanding and kind. When he had first arrived, he'd taken a blood sample from both Jounouchi and Seto, and had promised he'd be back in about an hour to discuss the results with them. When he returned, he collected Jounouchi, and then he went to Seto's office and knocked, frowning when he wasn't acknowledged. He knocked again, and then he simply entered the room, worried that something might have happened to the brunet. His eyes widened when he saw the young CEO sitting at his desk, his arms folded on the top, and his head resting against them as he stared unseeingly out the window. "Seto?"

The blue-eyed male sat up and slowly turned to face him. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"I'm here to see you." When he simply got a blank look in return, the doctor arched a brow. "You wanted me to administer a drug test."

"Oh. Right..." He unbuttoned the cuff of his shirt and started to roll up his sleeve.

Washida-sensei glanced at Jounouchi, then back at the other man. "I've, uh...already been. I have the results." Holding up his folder, he entered the room and sat down on the couch, Jounouchi sitting down beside him and avoiding looking at the brunet. Taking a deep breath, he opened the folder, glancing down at the report. "You both tested positive for MDMA. That's ecstasy," he added when he saw the confused look in the amber eyes. "I believe it's possible someone could have put it in your drink, or in some food. Believe it or not, some people even make it into lip balms and pass it on through kissing. Seto had a much larger dose than you, Katsuya. Which explains a lot of his...behaviour," he said with a wry smile.

Jounouchi's eyes widened on hearing that, and then he pressed his lips into a thin line as he remembered the girl with the gum. "Bitch," he muttered under his breath.

At the same time, Seto's eyes narrowed, his mouth curving down into a deep scowl as his hands clenched into tight fists on the tabletop. 'I'll kill that bastard of a bartender,' he thought to himself.

The doctor's expression was one of compassion as he watched the two young men mentally revisit their night. "You're both very lucky - it could have been a lot worse. But now, unfortunately, you have to deal with the after-effects and there isn't much I can do for you. MDMA works like a big pendulum. I'm sure last night, you both felt pretty relaxed and at ease. Today, it's going to feel like your moods have swung completely to the opposite end of the spectrum, and about the only thing you can do is wait for it to pass. Drink lots of orange juice and sports drinks. The ascorbic acid and electrolytes will help some. Rest. Eat protein. That will help with the depression you may be feeling. Seto, I want to see you again on Tuesday. You're probably going to find you'll have trouble concentrating on mundane tasks, and as we've already seen this afternoon, your short-term memory can be unreliable. Until then, I'd advise against going to work. And it goes without saying that if either of you start to feel worse, or aren't seeing any improvement, come back and see me?"

"Whatever," the brunet said frostily, already knowing he'd be in the office the next day regardless of what his physician suggested. With everything that was going on, he couldn't afford to take the time off.

Washida-sensei sighed softly in resignation and gathered up his papers. "Good luck, Son," he said quietly to the blond. "Maybe he'll actually listen to you. God knows he doesn't with me." Giving the brunet a small bow, he left, setting a written copy of his instructions on the small credenza before closing the door behind him.

Jounouchi gave Seto a weak smile as he turned to look at him, his expression falling when he saw the exhaustion and frustration beneath the icy glower. "Uh...maybe the kid and me'll go to the store and get some of the stuff the doc' suggested. What's your favourite flavour?" he asked, trying not to give the brunet any excuse to go off on him.

"Get the hell out of my office."

Trying not to let the snappish tone affect him, the blond gave him a slightly tremulous smile in return. "Ah, surprise you, eh? All right, I can do that."

"Idiot. I don't want it."

Jounouchi clenched his jaw tightly, and when he spoke next, his voice was quiet as he tried to mask the slight tremor. "I'm not going to let you do this, Kaib'. You can yell at me. You can even hit me if you want to. But I'm not going to ignore you and let you destroy yourself."

"Why can't you just leave me the hell alone?" he demanded hotly. The sapphire eyes were once again glassy, and it was obvious that the tall brunet was struggling to keep hold of his tenuous emotions.

"I know you don't really want that, Kaib'. Maybe yeah, you don't want _me_ , but I know you want _someone_ ," Jounouchi said sadly. "But for now, I'm what you've got."

"Grape." When curious amber eyes turned to him, Seto let his fall closed, and before the other could get a good look at his face, he swivelled his chair around so his back was to the blond. "I like grape, Jounouchi."


	4. Chapter 4

Not only had Jounouchi managed to get Seto to drink several bottles of juice and sports drink, but he'd even convinced him (with considerable argument) to at least take Monday off and work from home if he needed to do something that badly. On Tuesday, the brunet had conceded to working only a half day - after getting an ok from his doctor at lunch, he'd argued that there was no need to remain at home. He'd been pleasantly surprised by the stock reports. While both the New York and Tokyo Exchanges had showed considerable activity of people buying and selling, in the end, the actual change to the stock price had been negligible. If anything, by the time trading had concluded for the day, they were slightly up. Saitoh had told Seto that he should try bringing the blond out in public to capitalize on the upswing, and that night, they'd gone out for dinner at an open-air bistro in Tokyo.

Mokuba returned to Osaka on Wednesday morning, and that evening, Seto and Jounouchi were seen at a Yomiuri Giants baseball game, much to the brunet's ire. He vowed he'd have Saitoh's hide for scheduling that, even though his PR director swore up and down that it had been on the calendar for a couple of months now. Seto had pointedly ignored Usagi, who was sitting in the 'wives' box', while the woman had done nothing but scowl at Jounouchi. Seto hadn't been surprised to see that the media had been immediately captivated by the fair-haired male's open, fun-loving personality. And when the slender blond had had a hotdog eating contest with Onoe Ichitaro during the seventh inning stretch, and had even managed to keep up with the portly sportscaster, he had been touted as 'the real deal' and 'the genuine article'. Jounouchi was quickly becoming Domino's newest sweetheart, and KaibaCorp was reaping the benefits.

Outside of the spotlight, things between the two men were better than they had been on the weekend. Seto had stopped looking at the shorter male with contempt every time they were in the same room, though a lot of that could be attributed to the fact that the drug was now out of his system and he was more or less back to normal. He still was nowhere near as tactile as he'd been that night at the club, though he did quite like it whenever Jounouchi sat near him - even if he couldn't actually bring himself to say so. The blond's cologne was also nice - citrusy and clean - and he was a good height. He didn't have to stoop if he wanted to murmur something to the other during the myriad photo shoots and publicity events they'd been attending. A few times, they'd even kissed - it was good PR after all - and even though they'd been simple, chaste presses of lips, Seto could no longer ignore the fact that he always felt _very_ good afterwards.

Thursday morning, Jounouchi was met by Isono as he came downstairs for breakfast. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes locked on the stoic vizier. The man was nice enough, but the blond always felt uncomfortable around him - in his mind, he imagined that behind those sunglasses, he was staring into his soul, and that always gave him pause to shiver a little. "Morning," he greeted, his voice a little guarded.

"Jounouchi-san," the other replied with a small bow. "Kaiba-sama left early this morning for the office, but he provided me with instructions for you." On seeing the curious look, he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a credit card, which he handed to the younger man. "You are to procure a tuxedo for Saturday evening. Once you've completed that, you're to go to Tris for your spa treatments. A light lunch will be provided. Then, at seven, you're to meet Kaiba-sama for sushi at the Sakura Gardens. Dress is casual."

The blond felt a slight thrill when he was handed the credit card, though he gave Isono an odd look as he recited the list of instructions. "Spa treatments? What the hell does that mean? It sounds kind of fruity."

The older man covered his smirk under the guise of pushing up his glasses. "I would imagine that in preparation for Saturday night, Kaiba-sama is providing you with a manicure, pedicure, and massage. And I assure you, they're not 'fruity'. A lot of men get them these days to keep their skin looking its best."

"If you say so." Jounouchi still didn't look completely convinced, but he figured it was in his best interests to comply. Seto hadn't snapped at him for a couple of days now, and he didn't want to give him a reason to. Besides, he rationalized, the brunet's skin was amazing, and it wouldn't hurt to give his own some attention. "Uh, Isono?" When the other arched a questioning brow, he pinked a little and said, "Um...I'm pretty sure Kaib' doesn't want me to get one of those off-the-rack specials from the department store, but I don't know where else to go. Not without looking like a complete dork."

The vizier's expression softened a little. "Tell Aku to take you to see Jean-Philippe. I'll call him and tell him to expect you."

* * *

Jounouchi felt very out of place as he walked into the tailor's shop. He saw bolts of cloth, and shirts, but nothing that really looked like a suit, and he half wondered if Isono hadn't been fucking with him. He was about to leave, when he heard a heavily accented voice call out, "Jounouchi-san?"

Jean-Philippe was a tall, pencil-thin man with perfectly coiffed black hair and wearing far too much tan-in-a-can. "Isono-san said you'd be by." He positively _beamed_ at the blond. "Ooh, you've got a good shape! This should be fun!"

"Yeah, uh, I need a tuxedo by Saturday night, but um..." Amber eyes darted around again. "I don't exactly see any."

The tailor laughed. "That's because we're going to custom fit one for you. Trust me, you'll look perfect. Now," he clasped his hands together and grinned again. "What sort of style are you looking for?"

Jounouchi paled. "I don't have a fucking clue," he said honestly. "I rented a tux for prom way back when, and haven't needed one since."

"Ah, I see, I see." Jean-Philippe tapped thoughtfully at his chin with his index finger for a moment, and then pointed at the blond. "I think I know just the thing." Hurrying to the back room, he grabbed a book with hundreds of different samples in it and began flipping through it. "Hm...ah!" Turning it around so Jounouchi could have a look, he showed him a Calvin Klein three-button tuxedo with notched satin lapel. "We could do this in a deep black with bottle green accessories - very nice."

The blond studied the picture, trying to imagine himself wearing that. "Yeah, that looks pretty nice. Are you sure you'll have it done in time?"

Jean-Philippe smirked. "It will be ready by tomorrow afternoon."

"No shit?" Jounouchi exclaimed incredulously. "Are you always that fast?"

The tailor laughed. "Only when it comes to important clients. I want them to be happy. And your suit? It will be like a glove." Snapping his tape measure from around his neck, he beckoned the other over. "Let's get a few measurements, yes?" The tailor worked quickly, jotting down several numbers on his paper, most of which made no sense to the blond. "One last thing. Do you dress left or right?"

Jounouchi stared blankly at him. "What?"

The tailor smiled softly. "What side do you put your privates on when you wear your pants? Custom suits give a bit of extra room to accommodate that."

Amber eyes went wide, and he pinked deeply. "Are you fucking kidding me?" When the older male simply continued to smile and wait, the blond shrugged. "I don't know - left, I guess!"

Jean-Philippe nodded and made a notation, and then took Seto's credit card to scan it. "Excellent. We'll see you tomorrow then. Good day, Jounouchi-san."

If his experience with the tailor had been odd, the spa was downright weird. Lunch had consisted of a salad that looked more like lawn clippings than food, a scoop of brown rice, a sliced pickled beet, four steamed asparagus spears, and a piece of grilled salmon no bigger than the blond's middle and index fingers combined. After practically being force-fed two very large glasses of water with cucumber and lemon slices in them, he'd been dragged off for his massage. He'd been, admittedly, a little nervous about that. Jounouchi's only experience with spas came from seeing them in movies, and as he'd sat in his little room, he'd been waiting for some hulking blond Swedish woman named Helga to come bursting through the door to inflict considerable pain on him in the name of relaxation. He'd been pleasantly surprised to see a cute little raven-haired girl in a white lab coat named Tomika, and even more so when instead of contorting him into odd postures, she'd given him a hot stone massage. Jounouchi was almost positive he'd dozed off at some point during that whole process, but every time he asked her if he had, she'd just giggle.

Now, he was soaking his hands in some herbal-smelling liquid while Tomika buffed, polished and smoothed his feet. He watched with interest as she cut and filed his nails, and when she pulled out a small bottle, his eyes widened. "Are you putting nail polish on me?" he asked incredulously.

She giggled again, and gave him a demure look as she asked, "Do you _want_ me to put nail polish on you, Jounouchi-san?"

"Hell no!"

"Then no, I'm not." She saw the dubious look he was giving her, and she giggled again. "This is cuticle conditioner. It's clear and matte, I promise."

"Oh. Well all right then." He sat back in his chair, and while he silently watched the girl work, he could only imagine how much Seto would be laughing at him if he could only see. Still, Jounouchi knew that when he flipped him off later for being an asshole, he'd be doing it with some of the softest, silkiest, most highly buffed hands imaginable. That thought drew a snicker from him, and falling into daydreams about the sensual brunet, he enjoyed the rest of his afternoon.

* * *

Jounouchi tried very hard not to tug at the collar of his shirt. It wasn't that he was uncomfortable. As Jean-Philippe had promised, the fit had been impeccable, and while he wasn't really one for suits, he did feel pretty good about his appearance. He was, however, incredibly nervous about making an ass of himself. It was one thing to stand silently next to the brunet on a podium, or to have fun at a ballgame, but tonight he would be interacting socially with Seto's crowd.

Tugging his jacket down in the back, he looked up at the KaibaCorp building and then headed inside. The young CEO had gone in around noon to work, and had told Jounouchi to come collect him around seven and they'd head to the party together. Stepping into the elevator, he swiped the keycard he'd been given and rode the car all the way to the top floor. As he stepped out onto marble tile, his heart sank a little when he saw that the office was deserted and that there was no one to direct him which way to go. His eyes darted around briefly, and when he finally saw a small sliver of light escaping from a partially opened door, he headed off in that direction, a wave of relief washing over him when he heard the soft click of typing. "Kaib'?" he whispered as he knocked very softly on the door and pushed it open to peek his head in. He couldn't help but grin when he saw that the other was dressed and ready to go (and looking incredibly handsome, in the blond's opinion).

The brunet looked up after a moment, his sapphire eyes widening just briefly. He got to his feet and went over to the door, pulling it open before moving back to his desk to lean against the edge, his arms folded across his chest.

Jounouchi's brow furrowed a little. "I'm sorry," he began as he slipped inside, once again tugging at the hem of his jacket. "I didn't mean to interrupt or anything."

"Relax, Jounouchi. I'm not angry. I just wanted to get a better look at you." A soft, genuine smile briefly curved the corners of his lips up. "Calvin Klein? Mm, you look good. Very good. Debonair. Hn, Jean-Philippe certainly earns his pay."

The blond pinked a little at the compliment. "Thanks. So do you." This time, he let his gaze linger a while longer on the midnight blue Armani tuxedo set off with the deep sapphire shirt studs. "I don't remember you leaving the house dressed like that."

Seto chuckled. "I have an en-suite attached to the office. Sometimes I don't have time to go home between functions, so I shower and change here."

"Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. Ne, Kaib'? When we get there, kind of give me some direction on what I'm supposed to do? I don't want to embarrass either of us, you know?"

"Seto."

"Huh?"

The brunet grinned. "We're a couple, ne? At this point, we really should be calling each other by our given names; don't you think so, _Katsuya_?" He couldn't help the flirty purr he'd put on that one word, and he watched with great interest as the blond pinked a bit darker and smiled. For as much as he'd been trying to fight it over the past week, he couldn't deny any longer that yes, he really wanted to be with the other - and he was ready to admit as much. He wasn't sure exactly _when_ he'd developed those types of feelings for Jounouchi. Back in high school, he'd taken great pleasure in getting a rise out of the other just to watch the various emotions flicker across the heated amber eyes. At the time, he'd suspected that the blond had felt _something_ for him, especially after watching the other go through several failed relationships, though he hadn't been in a position to adequately examine his own feelings. After graduation, he found that he'd think about the lively blond quite frequently, often wondering what he was up to, but never having the nerve to call him and find out. He hadn't even realized just how much he'd missed him or how deep those feelings had run until he'd seen Jounouchi that night at the club. True, he'd been high on ecstasy, but from everything he knew about the drug, it had simply brought out what had always been there. Perhaps it had been a serendipitous thing after all.

Jounouchi felt a comfortable warmth spread through his body when he heard that sensual baritone say his name, though his expression turned worried when he saw the suddenly serious look on the other's face. "Kai-Set'? You ok?" He gave him a nervous grin and said, "You look like you're thinking pretty hard about something."

"Just one thing, actually."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Us," the brunet replied quietly as he lightly caressed over one of the blond's cheeks with his fingertips.

"Oh!" the blond repeated, a soft smile lighting up his face. "What about us?"

"This." He lightly threaded a hand in the flaxen tresses and leaned in to kiss him, only to scowl and straighten abruptly, his cheeks slightly flushed, when he heard a clearing of throat at the door.

"My apologies, Kaiba-sama," Aku, Seto's driver, said. "But the car is waiting and you said you wanted to be there by-"

"I know the damned car is here! Why the hell else would he be here?" the brunet demanded in frustration as he nodded toward Jounouchi. "Get the hell out of my office! We'll be down in a minute!" The moment spoiled for the time being, Seto wordlessly grabbed his trench coat, and then took the blond's hand in his as they made their way out to the waiting limousine.

It wasn't a long drive to the Domino Grand Park hotel, and as they drew closer, Jounouchi could feel some of his earlier nervousness returning. "Ne, Set'? Who's all going to be at this party? Other CEO's?"

The brunet gave him a soft smile. "Some, yes. Though this is more of a fundraising benefit for the Children's Hospital. KaibaCorp is just the sponsor. So, there will be other CEO's, some of our clients and investors, and people from the community who have purchased tickets." He slipped out of the car, once again taking the blond's hand when the other joined him on the sidewalk. "Try to look like you're having a good time, ne?" he teased as they headed inside.

Jounouchi laughed, albeit a bit anxiously, and he nodded. "I will if you will," he replied, falling silent as they entered the ballroom. Almost immediately, the media was upon them, snapping photographs and asking questions. He squeezed tighter to Seto's hand, and was relieved when the other squeezed back.

"As I told all of you in the press briefing you were sent, any and all questions will be answered at tomorrow's media conference - provided they're relevant to this event and what KaibaCorp has been doing to aid the fundraising efforts. If you can't comply with the directives you've been given, you will be escorted out and banned from further KaibaCorp activities." The brunet smirked when the reporters fell silent. "Hn." The smug expression remained on his face as they moved further into the room, and Seto grabbed two flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to the blond. "Here. It takes the edge off. Believe it or not, I loathe these sorts of functions. Too many pretentious assholes." Snickering softly into his glass, he took a sip.

"Thanks." Jounouchi grinned at the comment and then gulped back the contents of his glass, making a face at the combination of the bubbles and the interesting sweet-to-dry flavour.

Seto laughed softly. "Sip it, Katsuya. It will make it taste better. The sweetness will linger." He took the blond's empty glass and swapped it out for a fresh one as another waiter passed by. "Besides, if you drink it too fast, it's going to hit you like a ton of bricks, and you'll feel awful tomorrow."

"'kay." Jounouchi took a small sip, and as he glanced up at the tall brunet, he smiled even as he wrinkled his nose. "It does taste better like this. But the bubbles keep getting in the way."

"That's part of the fun of champagne. Or so I've been told," Seto remarked as he leaned in closer to the other, discretely inhaling the scent of the blond's cologne as he lightly kissed his temple. He swore under his breath when he saw Isono coming over to them, and excusing himself, he moved off to the side to talk with his vizier.

Jounouchi panicked a little when he was left alone. As he glanced around the massive ballroom, he realized that most of the people in attendance knew who he was, and he half-heartedly waved and nodded politely at the myriad smiles and stares he kept getting. It was a very discomfiting feeling, considering that save for Seto, he knew no one, and he nervously tugged his jacket down in the back as he tried to figure out what to do with himself. He didn't feel like making small talk - he figured he'd only embarrass himself, and besides, he didn't know what subjects to even discuss. Looking around again, he noticed that Isono had dragged the brunet off somewhere, and with wry amusement, he figured that this crowd wouldn't be all that interested in hearing about Duel Monsters, his sister, or his culinary training while he waited for his date to return. He smirked a bit as he thought about that some more. They'd probably think he was some sort of idiot, or worse, that he was part of the hired help. He stood silently and sipped his champagne, and after a moment, he noticed a man walking by him and carrying a small plate filled with various things to eat. "Hey, where'd you get the food from?" he asked. If there was one thing he could do to keep his mouth occupied so he wouldn't say anything potentially damning, it was snack.

"Hm? Oh!" The man smiled a little and pointed across the room. "They've got a buffet table set up over there. It all looked very good."

"Sweet, thanks!" Jounouchi crossed the room, his eyes lighting up when he saw countless small platters filled with various interesting looking things. Part of him wished Seto was there to tell him what everything was, but then again, he'd yet to meet a food he didn't like. He grabbed a plate, and starting from one end, he put a few different things on it, and then stepped back out of the way to try them. When he'd finished, he'd repeat the process, slowly working his way down the line. He stopped when he heard someone introduce the brunet, and he smiled softly as Seto took the microphone and made a quick speech, thanking everyone for attending, and inviting them to enjoy their evening. "God, he's so awesome," he murmured as he returned to his snacking.

"Mm, he is," a sultry voice purred from beside him.

Jounouchi glanced over to see Takinawa Usagi standing next to him. She was wearing a very short, very clingy black cocktail dress, and her honey-coloured eyes were fixed on him as a simpering smirk curved her crimson lips upward.

The blond smiled at her, only to shift uncomfortably as she continued to stare at him with eyes that were almost the same colour and shape as his. "Um...hello, Takinawa-san. I didn't - are you having fun?"

"Oh, I wasn't, Darling, until just recently," she replied as she picked up the toothpick in her martini glass and ate the pearl onion off the end. "Settie really knows how to throw a party, doesn't he?"

"Settie? What?"

"Oh, you _are_ a loquacious one. I can see he chose you for your conversation skills." Perfectly manicured nails pushed a lock of long, raven black hair from her eyes. Her gaze narrowed a little and her smirk widened as she caught sight of his plate. "Oh, how absolutely _adorable_!" she cooed patronizingly. "I'd never thought to put pâté and caviar together on a cracker, but it looks like you've made it work. What's next? Chateau Pétrus and Coke?" She let out a soft tinkle of laughter when Jounouchi blushed, and she patted his head as one would a small child. "And don't you just look so cute in your little tuxedo!" she baby-talked to him, grinning cruelly when she realized that she now had the attention of several of the guests. "Though I'd be willing to bet that you wouldn't know a Calvin Klein from a Levi Strauss, ne?"

Jounouchi's face heated further, but he didn't say anything. He was smart enough to know to keep his mouth shut and not give her any further ammunition. "Well, it was nice talking to you," he said quietly, pasting a small smile on his face in an attempt to add credibility to the lie.

"Likewise," she drawled. "After speaking with you, now I know for certain that this is all just a major publicity stunt. Don't take it personally, Love. You wouldn't be the first person he'd used to maintain his position."

The blond's expression faltered for a brief moment. "That's not true," he said lowly. "It's not." Despite how strongly he insisted, he couldn't help the insecurity that washed over him.

Usagi's eyes widened in sadistic pleasure. "Oh my God, you actually _believed_ him! Believed the things he told you!" She laughed that twittering laugh again, watching in great delight as his confidence in what he was saying slowly ebbed away. "Sweetie, he's a businessman, and he _knows_ that to stay on top, he needs to be the next big thing in the news. You poor, silly, little lamb. You fell right into the wolf's arms." Again she patted him on the head, grinning when she heard the snap of shutters around her. With a triumphant smile, she watched the dejected look creep into the lifeless amber, and she finished off her drink.

"That's enough." Seto's cool voice cut through the excited whispering. "You always were a two-faced bitch, Usagi."

"Ah, ah!" she chided, waggling a manicured finger at him. "Let's not resort to bitter cattiness, Lover. And I am sorry for calling you out, but I just couldn't let you go on with this farce any longer. After all, everyone _knows_ you're not gay." With a soft smile, she moved closer to him and traced a finger down his chest. "I see you wore Armani tonight. "Mm, my _favourite_. Though still, it was so cute how you dressed up your little toy for an evening out. Really, I can understand you wanting someone like that. After all, he looks so awkwardly precious tonight, and the media is just eating him up with a spoon! But you know as well as I do, Darling, that someone like _him_ doesn't fit in _our_ world. I'm sure he was fun for a while, but eventually, he'd just become an embarrassment to you and you know it." She grinned as she met Jounouchi's eyes. "After all, garbage is still garbage, even if you put it in a designer package."

Sapphire eyes narrowed. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Usagi?"

"Why, I came to see my Settie!" she cooed. "Of course, you made me buy my invitation, but that's all right. It's for all those sweet children, so I don't really mind. Especially since we're going to have one of our own." With that, she leaned in and kissed him, pressing herself firmly against his body, and grinning widely as the media snapped photo after photo. "I've missed you, Dragon."

Jounouchi's eyes widened on hearing her news, and when he saw them kiss, he felt his heart break. For as much as he wanted to be with the other, he couldn't, and wouldn't, break up a family. He knew from personal experience just how much that sucked. While everyone's attention was focused on the spectacle unfolding around them, he quietly set his plate down on the edge of the table and slipped out, hailing a taxi when he hit the street.

"Save it," Seto said coldly as he pushed her away to arm's length. "You admitted you were whoring around on me, and I wouldn't be surprised if you're already doing the same to Tomo. You're out of your mind if you think I'm just going to take you at your word. My attorneys will be in touch - until I have DNA proof, as far as I'm concerned, it isn't mine." He turned to look for Jounouchi, a flicker of panic running through him when he couldn't see him _anywhere_. Before he could get away to look for him, he was swarmed by photographers and reporters, all of them risking a lifetime ban for the story of the year. He glanced over at the woman and saw her posing coyly for the cameras, a winsome smile on her face as she patted her belly and told them stories about her time dating Kaiba Seto. He was positively livid as he glowered at her, his sharp mind quickly putting all the pieces together. Grabbing her by the elbow, he leaned in close and murmured icily in her ear, "Let's get one thing straight right now. There is no 'us'. Not anymore. And if you've ruined this for me, you jealous, vindictive bitch, I will destroy you."

Her eyes widened in terror at the whispered words, and for the first time since he'd laid eyes on his ex-girlfriend that evening, Kaiba Seto smiled a genuine smile.


	5. Chapter 5

It had taken an hour before Seto had been able to get his car away from the swarm of paparazzi. It was only after the police had showed up and cleared away the throng of people that Aku had been able to slowly inch forward and away from the masses. In the meantime, the brunet had been on the phone practically non-stop. His first call had been to his home, and when it had gone unanswered, he had tried the blond's cell phone. After leaving a message, he had called his attorney and informed him of everything that Usagi had said to him. Aizawa had promised to begin right away on the paperwork, and that he would make sure a judge okayed the order for a sample as soon as possible.

When he got home, Seto didn't wait for Aku. He exited the car and went inside to look for Jounouchi, only to feel his heart sink when he saw that the blond had already been and gone - and that he taken his clothing with him. " _Damn it_!" the brunet exclaimed, and as he turned to leave, he saw the note on the dresser, Jounouchi's ring sitting carefully next to it. Picking up the paper, he frowned. He could tell it had been written in haste, making the blond's usual scrawl even more difficult to read:

_I'm sorry, but I had to leave. Seeing that chick all over you was hard, but when she said she was having your kid, I knew I couldn't stay. I'm not going to be the one to break up a family. But I can't watch you in that life, either. It was easier before I knew what it would be like, and yeah, she was right. You don't want someone like me around fucking things up for you. Still, it was fun while it lasted, and thanks. Be happy, Kaiba. If you can do that, then I'll be all right. ___

He felt numb as he set the paper back down on the dresser, and he clenched his jaw as he grabbed the ring and slipped it on over his middle finger for safekeeping. He could feel his anger flaring again as he thought about the things Usagi had said, and turning on his heel, he stormed out of the room. He made his way to the garage, and after slipping behind the wheel of his Lotus, he tore off down the pavement for Jounouchi's flat.

Seto was incredibly surprised when it was Honda, and not the blond, who answered the door. "What the hell are you doing here?" they asked, near-simultaneously.

"Where's Jounouchi?"

"Not here."

Seto snorted and rolled his eyes. "Obviously. Where did he go?"

"What the hell do you care, Kaiba? You've got your life back. You've ruined his. You're probably pretty happy right about now."

"Idiot," the blue-eyed brunet retorted. "You don't know a damned thing. If I was so _happy_ , I'd be with the girl, wouldn't I, and not dressed in a tuxedo and running all over Domino in the middle of the night looking for him!"

"Get bent, Kaiba. I'm not telling you anything. Now get out of here before I kick your ass and throw you out."

Sapphire eyes narrowed coldly. "Oh, you _so_ don't want to go there with me tonight. I'm not in the mood for this crap, you posturing ape. So unless you _want_ me to tear your throat out-"

"Hiroto-chan! Kaiba-kun!" Yugi's anxious voice interrupted them. "Please! There's no need to fight. I-I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation to this?" The diminutive male turned his soft, violet eyes to the young CEO, his expression almost begging him to confirm that.

"There is. And since it's really none of _your_ business, I'll wait to tell it to Jounouchi. When do you expect him back?" He arched a brow when he saw Honda's jaw clench and Yugi's eyes sadden.

"He's not coming back, Kaiba-kun. He's gone to-"

The fin-haired brunet clamped a hand over his lover's mouth and glowered. "Because of what you've done, he can't bear to be in the same town as you anymore. So he picked up his things and he left. I told him years ago that he was stupid to carry a torch for a prick like you, and damn it if I wasn't right. You're just concerned with profits and your company. You never cared about Jou. He was just a means to an end, ne?"

Seto's eyes narrowed dangerously. "How dare you judge me?" he seethed. "You're no better than the rest of the mindless simpletons who believe everything they see on the television because they can't form an opinion for themselves. If I have to be a sheep or a shark, then I guess I'd rather be a shark. But quite frankly, I don't give a damn what you think of me, Honda, and I sure as hell don't need to justify myself to you. But a word of advice? Make sure you know what you're talking about before you go spouting off. It'll make you look like less of a jackass." His gaze shifted to Yugi, and while it was no less angry, there wasn't the underlying malice. "If you hear from him, tell him-" He cut himself off, his eyes falling closed for a moment. "Tell him I meant what I said in my office tonight. And I'll find a way to prove it." With that, he turned and walked away, his mind already working.

* * *

Seto snorted contemptuously and barely refrained from rolling his eyes as he sat in his office and listened to Saitoh Kenichi give his report. For the past half an hour, his PR director had been showing him graph after graph of gains and losses, plotting them on a timeline of the past few weeks. As the ginger-haired man pulled out yet another slide, the brunet huffed impatiently. "Do you have a point to make, Saitoh? If you do, then get to it. Otherwise, get the hell out of my office; I have work to do."

Green eyes widened a little at the snippy tone, but he nodded. "I think it would be wise for you to roll with the publicity we've already got. I've scheduled a press conference for Wednesday morning. We'll start with Saturday night. You've realized you want an heir, and you can't get that with Jounouchi, so getting back together with Takinawa-san, who you still have feelings for, was the best course of action. And since she's carrying your child, it works out for the best."

Sapphire eyes narrowed. "So she claims. I haven't confirmed yet that it's mine. Aizawa should have gotten that court order by now."

Saitoh gave him a simpering smile in return. "Is it really _that_ important, Kaiba-sama?" He loosed an uncomfortable chuckle when he saw the dubious arch of a brow and the follow-up scowl. "I mean, you and Usagi looked so _good_ together! You were the envy of all celebrity couples, the one everyone wanted to _be_! Everyone makes mistakes, Kaiba-sama."

Seto's gaze narrowed further. Something about this wasn't sitting right with him, and he couldn't ignore the red flag that had gone up in his mind. He hadn't gotten as far as he had by ignoring his intuition. At the same time, he hadn't gotten as far as he had by tipping his hand too early, either. He schooled his features into a neutral expression, and watched Saitoh visibly relax. "Hn. How astute. God knows I've made my share." He shifted his attention to his computer screen for a moment, and then said, "Just one thing. I'd prefer to speak to the press on Friday. I need some time to prepare for what I'm going to say."

Saitoh nodded as he got to his feet and picked up his presentation folder. "I'll make the changes and email you with the new time."

"Do that." The brunet waited until the other had left, and then he picked up his phone. When Isono answered, Seto said, "I need you to look into something for me." With that, he proceeded to explain just what it was he wanted to his vizier.

* * *

Seto didn't often look forward to press conferences, but he couldn't _wait_ for this one to begin. Isono had been his usual, overly-efficient self, and had presented the brunet with a folder on Wednesday evening, detailing everything he had asked for and more. He'd smirked to himself as he'd read through the document, and at the end of the day on Thursday, he'd contacted Saitoh to invite Usagi to the press conference, citing that since it concerned her future, too, she really should be there. The icing on the cake had come shortly before lunch. Aizawa had telephoned him to inform him that a courier was on its way with his brief, and as Seto had sipped his miso and perused the documents, a wicked smile had settled on his face.

Saitoh came to collect him a little before two that afternoon, and the brunet schooled his features into an unreadable expression as he picked up his folder with all his notes and followed the ginger-haired man down to the lobby. A small podium with a microphone had been set up, and the press gallery was full. "Now remember, Kaiba-sama. Just read the speech we practiced, and it'll go great! If there are questions, I can field them on your behalf."

"You're too good to me, Saitoh," Seto drawled, and he snorted when the man beamed at the praise. Taking the podium, he saw Usagi standing off in the wings, and when she waved at him, he merely rolled his eyes and looked away. He waited while his PR director moved around to the opposite side to join her before he turned his attention to the gallery. Taking a deep breath, he opened his folder and looked out at the gathered media representatives. "It seems I've been in the press a lot lately - more for my romantic endeavours than for any new products we've developed," he remarked dryly, smirking a bit at the twitters of laughter that rippled through the room. "Reporters are always looking for the next big story. Believe me, you'll get it here this afternoon, I promise. But before I begin, I'd like to introduce you to a couple of people. First, my PR Director, Saitoh Kenichi." He turned to the man and gave him a dark smile when he saw the surprised look on his face. As Saitoh joined him, he beckoned Usagi forward with a crook of his finger. "And I'm sure you all know Takinawa Usagi. She's been quite _influential_ in my life as of late, and I wouldn't want her to miss this today."

"What are you doing?" Saitoh whispered lowly, a very uncomfortable smile on his face. "You said you'd stick to the speech I'd written."

"I thought I'd improvise a little," the brunet replied with a smirk, and then he turned back to the reporters. "I was supposed to come here this afternoon to talk about Usagi, and let you all know that we were going to get back together. From what I was told, the media felt we made a good couple. Apparently, our being together is good for business." His smirk widened. "Well, I'm not one to simply take things at face value. I had a bit of research of my own conducted, and the past two weeks - perhaps longer - have been the result of a cleverly orchestrated series of events staged by none other than Saitoh here - Usagi's uncle."

The woman turned to the ginger-haired man, her eyes wide, and hissed, "You said he'd never find out!"

"Oh, I almost didn't. But this is _much_ better than a simple case of nepotism," Seto remarked, barely repressing his snicker as Saitoh facepalmed at her damning outburst. "Since my personal life has been put on display so much in the past few weeks, I decided I might as well give you the whole story and put to rest any speculation there may be. These are the facts as they stand, and after today, I will not discuss them again. It was common knowledge that Usagi and I ended our relationship three weeks ago. I guess she had some regrets about that, and went to her uncle. Knowing my schedule, Saitoh followed me to Tokyo and paid off one of the bartenders to put a bit of MDMA in my drink. The original plan was to simply catch me in a compromising position with him, but when I met up with Jounouchi, he had a change of plans. It was Saitoh who submitted the video of us in Tokyo. He'd hoped the news of my having a male partner would have a negative impact on the company and that I would readily agree to take Usagi back. He didn't count on Jounouchi's charisma and natural charm, and the plan backfired. So instead, Saitoh kept making sure that we would run into Usagi at various events, and it was Saitoh who provided Usagi with her invitation to the charity gala last weekend. I did some checking." He paused to take a breath, and he pressed his lips together for a moment in contemplation. "As to her claims that I'm the father of her unborn child, I have definitive proof that I am not. A court-ordered paternity test has revealed that it's not my child, and as such, I have no further obligations to her or her family." He smirked as two of his security personnel stepped up onto the podium to escort the other two away and out of the building. "There's your story. And that's all I have to say on the matter."

"But Kaiba-sama, what are you going to do now?" one of the reporters called out. "And what about Jounouchi-san?"

"Hn. It's strange how much my social life, and not the company's reputation, has become an indicator of the quality of the products we make and our worth on the stock exchange. Let's make one thing crystal clear. My life is _my_ business. No one else's. Don't like that? Too bad; get over it. If someone doesn't want to deal professionally with me because of who I'm with, then it's no loss. I'd rather not deal with such narrow-minded, judgemental people in the first place." With that, Seto turned and left the podium, ignoring the barrage of questions that erupted from the gallery.

After returning to his office, he read through a few documents for the remainder of the afternoon, and when it came time to leave, the brunet sighed softly. The distraction of work had kept his mind off of Jounouchi, but now with nothing to occupy him, his thoughts once again began wandering. He'd only had the other back in his life for a couple of weeks, and yet, he couldn't believe just how much he was missing the blond. Grabbing his briefcase, he made his way down to the lobby and headed for the revolving door, only to pause when he heard a soft alto call his name. Turning, he arched a brow when he saw Yugi sitting in one of the chairs. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice wary.

The diminutive male got to his feet and made his way over to the other. "I-I heard your speech earlier today. And I've been thinking a lot about Saturday night." He smiled a little. "I know Hiroto-chan has his doubts, but I believe you, Kaiba-kun. He'd be angry with me if he knew I'd come here, and he will be when he finds out I've talked to you, but he'll forgive me, I'm sure. Especially if you can convince Jou-kun to come back home. I think you're the only one who can."

Seto felt a small flicker of hope flutter in his chest, and trying not to sound _too_ anxious, he asked, "Where did he go, Yugi?"

"He went back to Brooklyn."

The brunet smirked a little. He should have guessed that if not Domino, the blond would have returned to his other 'home'. "Address?"

At that, Yugi's face fell. "Jou-kun's never given it to me."

Seto's stomach twisted. "Yugi, there are two and a half _million_ people who live in Brooklyn. How the hell am I supposed to find him?"

The wild-haired man shrugged a little and gave him a wan smile. "If there's anyone who could, it's you, Kaiba-kun. Though I do know he works at a fast food burger chain there. Does that help?"

"It's better than nothing." He sighed resignedly, and smiled a little. "Thanks, Yugi."

* * *

Within a few hours, Seto was on a plane bound for New York City. He'd given himself one week to find the blond - though in his opinion, that was an incredibly generous timeframe. So long as Yugi hadn't deceived him, he was sure he'd find him in a day or two. He made good use of his time in flight, doing a computer search for all the potential places Jounouchi could be working. His eyes widened when he saw nearly a thousand fast food restaurants listed for Brooklyn, and he sighed heavily when a refined search only dropped that down to about four hundred. He remembered Yugi had mentioned specifically that it was a chain restaurant, and with further refinement to exclude any place that didn't have at least five stores in existence, he was left with just over two hundred and fifty. 'Damn it...' Picking up his phone, he started at the top of the list and began systematically calling them. It wasn't exactly the most efficient method, but then again, he also had almost twelve more hours to kill and it at least gave him something to do.

After eight hours, Seto could feel his temple throbbing. Thus far, he'd had no luck, and he was convinced that there was some sort of corporate edict that proclaimed that only the most incompetent individuals could answer the phone. He'd been called 'dude' more times than he could count, and if he never heard another teenager give him a vacuous 'huh?' it would be too soon. He was overtired from having been up for twenty-four hours straight, was growing increasingly frustrated by his lack of success, and every time he heard someone address him with that accent that was so similar to Jounouchi's, it tore at him. He was almost out of patience, and he was growing increasingly snappish - something he absolutely didn't need if he was going to see the blond. He rubbed at his eyes for a moment, and then got up to stretch, find some aspirin, and get a drink of water. When he returned to his seat, he glared balefully at his list, and with a heavy sigh, he picked up his phone to call the next place. 'Super Burger...' As he dialled, he couldn't help but wonder if they sold croissan'wiches on their breakfast menu, and he snorted in wry amusement at the thought.

"Hello, and thank you for calling Super Burger, home of the Mega Colossus Burger. This is Tina speaking, how may I help you?"

"Hello, Tina," he replied, making a slight face at the overly-perky voice on the other end. "I'm looking for Jounouchi Katsuya. He's only been working there for maybe a week or so. It's important that I speak with him," he drawled as if by rote, the hundred and fifty-plus times he'd already said it having etched it into his memory.

"Oh, I'm sorry, there's no one here by that name," she said with a little more sympathy than Seto would have cared to hear. "Oh wait! Did you say 'Joey'? I wasn't sure, because of your accent," Tina added with a bit of a giggle. "Is he a cute blond guy with light brown eyes?"

"Yes, that sounds like him."

"Yeah, he'll be in tonight, after six. Can I give him a message?"

The brunet shook his head, unable to help the smile that settled on his face. "No, that's all right. I'll try him again after six. Thank you." Hanging up the phone, he relaxed considerably. It had been a daunting task, but he'd at least managed to locate Jounouchi - presumably. Settling back in his seat, he closed his eyes to get a bit of rest before they landed. After all, the more challenging part was still to come.

* * *

After landing and clearing Customs, Seto checked into his suite at The Plaza. Thirteen hours on a plane had done very little to improve his disposition, though a lengthy shower and a fresh change of clothes did leave him feeling somewhat better. By the time he'd finished cleaning up, the cheese plate and tomato bisque he'd ordered had arrived, and having a bit of food on his stomach helped considerably. He felt a slight twinge of nervousness when he realized he could no longer justifiably put off his task, and after slipping on a lightweight trench coat, he headed down to the lobby. Hailing a taxi - he did want to look _somewhat_ discrete, after all - he asked to be taken to Atlantic Ave and Court St in Brooklyn.

Twenty minutes, and several rather uninteresting anecdotes later, Seto had arrived at his destination. He paid the cabbie and stepped out onto the street, looking around for a moment as he attempted to get his bearings and figure out which way to proceed. For as many times as he'd been to New York City in his life, he had never once really left Manhattan, and as he slipped his hands in his pockets and started walking, he found himself wondering more about Jounouchi's life here. Where had he lived? Which school had he gone to? Did he and his family have a favourite restaurant to eat at? He was pulled from his musing when he saw the sign for Super Burger, and taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside.

Like every other fast food joint he'd been in, the décor was overly bright and comprised of easily cleaned plastic and vinyl done in a palette of three bold - and definitely contrasting - colours. In this case, day-glo orange, royal blue and acid green. He silently wondered if somewhere, some interior designer was laughing his ass off over that, or if the owner of the franchise was somehow both completely colour blind and devoid of all semblance of good taste. The restaurant itself was actually fairly busy for being close to midnight, but looking around at the patrons and how they were dressed, he realized it was a lot of bar goers (he _knew_ they weren't clubbers), and most of them were drunken frat boy types in their Abercrombie and Fitch, looking for a quick bite before heading home to smoke pot and pass out. He watched with a combination of mild amusement and contempt as a rather large, and obviously drunk, young man tried to place his order.

"Ok, ok...so like, this is going to be a _huge_ order, ok?" When the poor girl at the till merely nodded and rolled her eyes, he grinned. "Ok...so, I would like...thr-four...no! _FIVE_ double cheeseburgers. And an order of Chicken Tastations, aaaaand....a _large_ Coke. And that'll be to go, 'kay Babe?"

The girl on the till arched a brow and punched it in on her register. "Gee, I hope we have enough bags on hand to fill that," she remarked dryly, and after making his change, she went to get his food. "Oi! Joey!" she called back. "If Dave or James can handle grill, can you take cash and finish up with Ogre and the Alpha-Betas here? I'm done at midnight, and if I miss the bus and have to take a cab home again, my dad's going to bust a nut!"

"Sure thing, Lis'," a familiar alto replied. "Gimme half a sec' here, and then you can bail." A moment later, Jounouchi came out front, and he gave the girl a grin as he helped her pack up the order. "In about fifteen, it's only going to be drive-thru anyway. Piece of cake." Bidding his co-worker farewell, the blond moved to the register and quite efficiently dealt with the remaining customers.

When the last of the bar-goers had been served and left, Seto took his turn.

"Welcome to Super Burger," the blond began, as if by rote. "How can I-" The words died in his throat when he looked up from the till and saw the brunet standing there. "Seto..." His mouth hung open a little in shock, even as his eyes roved over the handsome form, noting the casual black trousers and button up shirt under a dark charcoal trench coat. After a moment, he pulled himself from his stupor, and he frowned a little. "What the hell are you doing here, Kaiba?"

Seto's hackles went up when he heard the hostility in the other's voice, and he clenched his jaw tightly to hold back the scathing retort that was on the tip of his tongue. "Ordering," he finally bit out, his own tone a bit frostier than he had intended.

The answer had obviously caught Jounouchi off guard, and it again took him a moment to find his voice. "Kind of a long trip to satisfy a craving," he muttered tartly. "So what do you want?"

Sapphire eyes briefly scanned the menu board. "I'll take a vanilla milkshake."

Again, amber eyes widened, though he nodded and filled a cup, setting it down a little forcefully on the countertop. "Two eighty-seven," he said crisply, and then frowned when he was promptly handed a five. "I meant why did you come here - to New York?"

"You really should learn to phrase your questions better," Seto remarked as he reached for a paper-wrapped straw and opened it. He shrugged a little as he pushed it through the lid. "You owe me a week still," he said as he took a sip, only to make a face and set it back down. "Disgusting."

"What?" Jounouchi's expression was incredulous. "You came all the way here to tell me you still expect me to honour _that_?"

"You said you'd give me two weeks."

"I-" The blond exhaled heavily and ran his hand over his face in agitation. "Kaiba, you've got a normal life back. You don't have to pretend any more like you care."

"God damn it, Jounouchi!" He scowled when the blond's co-workers peeked their heads around the corner, and he turned to read one of the posters pinned up on the wall.

The blond waved dismissively. "It's cool, guys. We know each other." Narrowing his eyes, he hissed, "Are you trying to get me fired?"

At that, Seto snorted in disgust, and when the two males came out front, one moving to lock the door, the other dragging out a mop and bucket to start cleaning the dining room floor, he glowered at them and switched to Japanese so that they couldn't understand their conversation. "Morons." Turning back to the blond, he said, "If I don't care, then tell me why the hell I just spent thirteen hours on a damned plane to come here, all the while talking to every idiot on the telephone to see if I could find you from among the _thousand_ choices presented to me," he demanded angrily. His expression hardened further, his voice growing more defensive as he was forced to deal with his own feelings. "You ran, Jounouchi. You didn't even give me a _chance_ to try to explain what was going on. You assumed - incorrectly, I might add - and you left." His hands clenched into fists as he swallowed back his emotions, and he snorted again - this time in self-disgust at his apparent lack of control. "You talked to Honda and Yugi about what was bothering you, yet you didn't say anything to me. You left me that lame note and took off. And you have the nerve to tell me _I'm_ the one who doesn't care?" Sapphire stared into amber for another moment, and then the brunet turned away. "I won't keep you any longer, then."

Jounouchi was rendered speechless by the other's words, and despite the hostility, he knew that the brunet was right. And when Seto turned away from him, he also knew from the slight slump of his posture and tight fists that the taller male was hurt - even if he was too proud to say so. He gasped softly a moment later when he realized that the brunet was wearing _both_ of their rings, and planting both of his hands on the countertop, he vaulted over it and hurried over to the other. He put his hands up to stop him, knowing that if he let Seto walk out the door, it _would_ be the last time he'd see him. "Tell me now, then," he said, his voice softening.

"Don't you watch the news?" Seto asked, his voice slightly clipped.

The blond shook his head. "Nah, it's too depressing. Besides, I uh..." He pinked a little as he trailed off. Licking his lips nervously, he said, "I didn't want to take a chance of seeing you. Plus, I work seven to five in construction, then usually six to two here. By the time I get home, I'm so bagged, I don't feel like watching anything and pretty much pass out."

"That's hardly a life - killing yourself with work."

"Look who's fucking talking," the blond shot back. "But I need to. One job pays for living expenses. The other is being saved for school. Too bad I had to give up my dual citizenship when I turned twenty-two. Foreign tuition costs are a bitch."

Seto's eyes widened when he heard that, and he shook his head. "You're an idiot. You have a full scholarship waiting for you, and you're going to throw that away and work _here_ for a year and go to some lesser school? I really thought you were smarter than that."

Jounouchi scowled at that, but he didn't argue. He knew that the brunet was right. "Yeah, well...I haven't called them up yet and turned the scholarship down." He smiled a little when he saw the tension ease from around the sapphire eyes at that. "So, about that news broadcast?" He watched Seto's gaze flick over to Dave and James, then back to him, and he smirked. "Yo, guys, I think the door's going to stay locked; you don't need to keep watch over it. And it's supposed to be my turn to mop up." The smirk widened. "In other words, make yourselves scarce and take care of the drive-thru, yeah?" When his coworkers were once again behind the counter, Jounouchi headed toward a table at the far side of the restaurant and he sat down.

Feeling somewhat anxious, Seto sat down opposite him, and began telling him of the events of the past week, culminating with the press conference and his subsequent chat with Yugi.

Jounouchi laughed delightedly as the brunet filled him in. "God, I'd have loved to have seen the looks on their faces! _Especially_ when you told them the kid wasn't yours." His own expression softened some when he saw the small smile he got in return. "So, what is it you want then? With your life, I mean."

Seto was quiet for a long time, and as he contemplated his answer, he toyed with the band on his ring finger. "I know it didn't seem like it when you stayed with me that week, but I meant what I said at the club that night. And in my office. It's a poor excuse, but I've always had a hard time dealing with the softer emotions. I try to avoid them." He dropped his gaze to his hands and he said, "I know that what I feel with you is different from anything else. It's not what I'd thought I'd felt for Usagi. But it's good, and it's strong, and it makes me happy. You said you'd be all right if I was happy. That's what I want." He snorted self-deprecatingly. "I miss you," he said quietly. "It's strange. I think it was always there, I just didn't know it until you left me."

The last word came out in a near-whisper, and had Jounouchi not been looking at the other as he was speaking and seen his lips move, he'd have missed it. Shyly, almost hesitantly, he reached his hand out and lightly rested it on top of the brunet's. "If you're looking for an heir, you know that I can't give you that."

"I don't care," Seto replied with a shake of his head. "It's really not that important to me." He smiled a bit. "I'll leave that up to Mokuba to take care of." He turned his hand over to take the blond's in his, only to sigh a little when the other pulled his back before he could. Instead, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a room key. Sliding it across the bright green tabletop, he said, "I have a suite at The Plaza. Room 1903. Now that I've found you, there's really no reason for me to remain here. I'll be there until tomorrow afternoon if you want to come with me. If not, then I'll leave you be." There was a loud crash from the front, and a moment later, James came toward them, a worried expression on his face. "I guess I should let you return to work. Looks like you're needed for something. See you later, Jounouchi." He unlocked the door and stepped out onto the street. "I hope," he added quietly as James clicked the lock once more behind him.

When he returned to his room, Seto took to pacing. He knew that the blond worked until two, but when three-thirty came and went, he sighed heavily and went into the bedroom, changing for bed and slipping exhaustedly between the sheets. He was startled awake a little after four by a loud bang and a muttered curse. Turning on the light, he hopped out of bed and went to investigate, his eyes widening a little when he saw Jounouchi hopping on one foot. "What the hell happened to you?"

Seeing Seto, Jounouchi gave him a mock scowl. "Who the fuck puts a damned _table_ just inside the door?" he groused, and after the pain subsided some, he straightened. "Sorry I took so long," he said. "I got out late, and I went home to change and get some stuff. I didn't think you'd want me here stinking like Super Burger." He toed off his shoes, and then moved slowly toward the brunet. "I know what I want, but are you sure about this?" he asked, just a hint of worry in his voice. "I remember the last time we shared a hotel room. It was a little rough in the morning."

Seto gave him a tremulous smile, and closing the distance between them, he drew the blond into a tight embrace. "Katsuya, I'm sure. You're here," he murmured. "You came. It's not a dream."

"It's not a dream." Jounouchi slid his arms around the other, his eyes falling closed as he leaned into him, losing himself in the moment. "And yeah, I missed you too, Set'."


	6. Epilogue

The sunlight was streaming in the window, warming the brunet as he gave a self-indulgent stretch. Slowly, he opened his eyes and shifted onto his side, silently appreciating the way flaxen tresses were splayed out next to him against the Frette linens, the early glow highlighting the coppers and golds. He pushed back the Ploh duvet so that he might gently trace his fingertips around the curve of a cheek, and he smiled softly when he saw the black timascus ring with the white gold inlay on his left ring finger. The smile widened when sleepy amber eyes blinked open, and he leaned over to press a gentle kiss to soft lips.

"Mm, morning," Jounouchi murmured, his voice slightly raspy, and he leaned into the brunet, easing him onto his back so that he could move to straddle him. He grinned softly and kissed Seto in turn, slowly deepening the embrace as his hands cupped his cheeks. His own white timascus ring glinted slightly, the swirling blue and amber striations nearly the same shades as their eyes. "Sleep well?"

Seto nodded. "I did. Better than I have in a long time." He let his fingers caress up and down the length of the other's spine for a while before he simply wrapped his arms around Jounouchi's waist to hold him tightly. "Are you ready to head back today?" They'd been in Boston since Sunday, and for the past five days, they'd been enjoying the Oriental Suite at the Mandarin Oriental.

"Mm hmm. It's been nice here, but I'm looking forward to going home." That thought filled him with a giddy happiness. Home was with Seto. Forever. A goofy grin spread across his face and he leaned down and kissed the brunet. "When you told me that night in Tokyo that we'd find a way to do this right, you weren't kidding," he remarked.

Seto laughed. "Well, I don't know how binding this will be when we get back to Japan, but at least it is _somewhere_." As he kissed the other again, he murmured, "It's too bad you had to give up your American citizenship on your twenty-second birthday, or else this would have been recognized at home. Even so, there are some measures I can take. I'll speak with Aizawa about it next week."

The blond grinned impishly. "That sounds an _awful lot_ like serious talk. And you promised you wouldn't talk about serious things like that while we were on our honeymoon."

Arching a brow, Seto snickered. "I said no such thing. I said I wouldn't talk about work. And I haven't." It was the truth - save for telling his secretary he'd be back on the Monday, and not to bother trying to contact him, he hadn't checked his voice mails or e-mail once over the past few days.

"Yeah, but Aizawa's KaibaCorp's lawyer, so it's sort of work related."

Seto snorted in amusement. "Hardly." He let his hands slide down Jounouchi's spine to cup his ass, and he nudged him back just enough to let his cock nestle teasingly along his crevasse. "Shall I stop talking, then?"

The blond let out a soft gasp when he felt the long, thick hardness against him, his own length responding in turn. Arching his back just a little, he was able to bring the brunet's cockhead against his opening, and pushing up with his hands against the other's shoulders, he eased back, moaning lowly as he was filled. "Oh fuck, Set'." With long, lithe movements, he rocked up, almost to the tip, then slid back to take his lover in completely.

The brunet's eyes fell closed as he was sheathed in that exquisite tightness, and as Jounouchi began to rock slowly, he met his movements with languid, controlled upward thrusts. He inhaled sharply as a bolt of pleasure jolted through him, and hooking a foot around his lover's shin, he flipped them, drawing up one of Jounouchi's legs to allow himself to thrust in deeper. When the other moaned loudly, he grinned. He liked that the blond wasn't afraid to express himself, and truth be told, he found it somewhat of a turn on. He angled his hips upward just a little, and was rewarded with a pleasured keen and a sharp rasp of nails across his back. Maintaining that position, he began a deep, hard series of thrusts, this new rhythm completely opposite to the tender, gentle one the other had started with, but no less loving despite its aggressiveness.

Jounouchi's head fell back further against the pillow, and he wrapped his arms and legs around his lover's slender frame. The increased friction against his cock drew another wanton mewl from him, and arching his back a little, he murmured, "Yours, Set'."

"Yours, Katsuya," Seto drawled, a hint of a sultry purr in his voice as he leaned down and nuzzled at the blond's throat. His exhaled tremulously when he heard the wanton, breathy sigh and felt the other's body tense a little. He mouthed up the soft jaw and captured his lips in a deep kiss, his tongue hungrily exploring as he continued to thrust into the pliant body beneath him. A few moments later, Jounouchi let out a soft cry of completion as he came, and Seto followed him, his release pulsing deep inside his channel. His orgasm was intense, and he tightly embraced the blond, holding him close even as he came down from his heights to bask in the afterglow. Smiling softly, he plied his lips, cheeks and jaw with tender kisses, one hand eventually slipping free to sift through the silken tresses.

Jounouchi caressed over strong shoulders and along Seto's spine in turn, a very happy, very sated expression settling over his features. After this past week, he knew without a doubt that the brunet loved him. He was sure that he would still have his moments of insecurity as they dealt with the press and the public, but right now, as he gazed up into the sapphire eyes and saw them open and unguarded, he had no question at all as to where he stood in the other's mind. He smiled softly. Seto was an ideal lover - he was passionate and attentive to his needs, equally happy to spend an afternoon slowly making love as he was to give a quick, hard fuck in the shower. But beyond that, the brunet made him feel wanted and cared for, and that was a feeling he could very easily get used to.

Seto grinned a little when he saw the blond's expression, and he lightly kissed the tip of his nose, chuckling when the other wrinkled up his face at the gesture. Jounouchi wasn't perfect, but he was perfect _for him_ \- something he'd come to realize in the time he'd spent with the fair-haired male. He made him smile. Showed him how to have fun. Made him act his age. And for the first time in his life, he was actually _living_. Giving him another kiss, he slipped free from his lover's body and stretched out beside him. "So, what would you like to do today? After we shower, of course."

"Mm, how about breakfast? We could get Egg McMuffins." He saw the disgusted look on the brunet's face. "Hey, they're the poor man's Eggs Benedict, you know! You've got ham and egg on an English muffin, substitute cheese for the hollandaise sauce, and bonus - portability!"

"Katsuya, you're going to be studying to be a world-renowned chef, and yet you eat some of the vilest things out there. It's mind boggling." Giving him another gentle kiss, he added, "Why don't we just have _real_ Eggs Benedict? Besides, is there somewhere you're in a hurry to be that you need the portability?"

"Well, no. Not really."

"Hn, good. That settles it then. Eggs Benedict and mimosa for breakfast." He laughed again when he saw the flicker of a pout. "If I tell you that you can get whatever junk you want for on the plane home, will that make you feel better?" he teased as he kissed the delectable lips once more.

Jounouchi gave him a mock-petulant nod in response, though after a moment he grinned when he saw Seto roll his eyes and snort in amusement. "And...you've got to eat some of it with me. It's only fair, ne?"

"I suppose so," the brunet agreed reluctantly. "But if I wind up getting sick, you're going to have to take care of me."

"Agreed." Jounouchi sealed their deal with a kiss, falling silent as he snuggled against his lover's warmth. After a moment, he lifted his head again. "Ne, Set'? There's something I've been wondering."

"What's that?"

"I thought you'd said before that you're not gay."

"That's right. I'm not."

A blond brow furrowed in confusion. "Then how do you explain this? Explain us?"

Seto grinned. "Looks like I've made an exception to be bi when it comes to you. There are worse things I could be, I suppose."

"Ne, Set'? You always say the sweetest things to me, you big, giant ass."

"Don't like that one? Hm...then how about this?" Seto asked before he murmured softly, "I love you, Katsuya."

The blond positively _beamed_ at that. Amber eyes shining, he looked into the gorgeous sapphire and replied, "I love you too, Seto."

The brunet returned the smile and then pulled the smaller male close again, sighing contentedly as he nuzzled the wild flaxen tresses. After a few minutes, he pressed a soft kiss to his lover's temple, and then got up, padding into the bathroom to start the shower. As he stood under the spray, he thought about his future with Jounouchi, and a very soft, unguarded expression settled on his face. He was startled from his reverie a moment later when the grinning blond poked his head around the curtain.

"Can I join you?" he asked, and when he saw the nod, he stepped under the water, too. "What're you thinking about?"

Seto chuckled a little. "Nothing really."

A small, private smile ghosted over the blond's features - he'd seen the contented look the other had been wearing. "Nothing, ne? Could've fooled me." He slipped his arms around his lover's waist and leaned into him.

"Smartass." Seto returned the embrace, holding the smaller male close. "I was thinking about you." Before Jounouchi could ask any more questions, the brunet silenced him with a kiss. Before long, hands once again began wandering and desire consumed all other thoughts. And the last thing that went through his mind before the lustful haze completely fogged his brain was that being with Jounouchi was far better than any drug. It went beyond ecstasy.

It was pure rapture.


End file.
